Palaeoanthropologist Ludovic Slimak and his research team have sequenced DNA from a fossilized jaw described as the last of the Neanderthals [1, 2].
The discovery is significant because it provides a genetic record of the final moments of the species. By analyzing these remains, scientists hope to identify the specific factors that led to the disappearance of Neanderthal populations across Europe.
The jaw was uncovered in 2015 [2] at Grotte Mandrin, a small cave located in the Rhône Valley of France [1, 2]. Researchers estimate the remains are approximately 42,000 years old [2]. While some reports have suggested a different age, the research team maintains the 42,000-year figure as the primary benchmark for the find [2].
Slimak said the site is a tiny cave, but it contains a record and a fossilization of something unique, which are the very last moment of the Neanderthal populations [1].
The team used DNA sequencing to examine the genetic makeup of the individual. This process allows researchers to compare the last surviving populations with earlier Neanderthals to see if the species suffered from genetic bottlenecks, or inbreeding, before their extinction [1, 2].
The Rhône Valley site has become a focal point for studying the transition between Neanderthals and early modern humans. The stratigraphic layers of Grotte Mandrin allow scientists to see how different hominid groups occupied the same region over thousands of years [1].
By focusing on the final remnants of the species, Slimak and his team aim to determine if the extinction was a slow decline or a sudden collapse triggered by environmental changes or competition with Homo sapiens [1, 2].
“the very last moment of the Neanderthal populations”
The analysis of the Grotte Mandrin jaw represents a shift toward using high-resolution genetic sequencing to pinpoint the exact timing of extinction. By establishing a concrete date for the last known Neanderthals, researchers can better correlate the species' disappearance with specific climatic shifts or the migration patterns of early modern humans into Europe.
