50,000-year-old Neanderthal bones harbour the oldest known human viruses
How It Works UK|Issue 192
Meanderthals who lived 50,000 years ago were infected with three viruses that still affect modern humans today, researchers have discovered.
EMILY COOKE
50,000-year-old Neanderthal bones harbour the oldest known human viruses

These traces of ancient viruses are the oldest remnants of human viruses ever discovered. They are around 20,000 years older than the previous record-holder for the most ancient human virus ever found: a common-cold virus uncovered inside a pair of 31,000-year-old baby teeth in Siberia.

This story is from the Issue 192 edition of How It Works UK.

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This story is from the Issue 192 edition of How It Works UK.

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