A superhuman species with a brain larger than that of modern humans once roamed across multiple continents, building their own societies with astonishing advancements in tool-making, jewelry, textile weaving, and more, before mysteriously disappearing 30,000 years ago.
According to Sci-News, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany have analyzed the impact of a single amino acid change in a gene called TKTL1 on the production of essential radial glial cells, which form a significant part of the cerebral cortex, ultimately explaining one of humanity’s most intriguing mysteries.
300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens, also known as modern humans, emerged not alone.
Wax figure of an extinct “superhuman” Neanderthal – (Photo: NEANDERTHALS MUSEUM)
During that time, the Earth was home to at least 8-9 human species. However, most of these species gradually went extinct. One of the last surviving companions of Homo sapiens was the Neanderthals.
The Neanderthals had brains that were comparable in size, or even larger than ours, along with significant technological advancements revealed through archaeological findings, as well as superior physical attributes.
For some mysterious reason, they seem to have been unable to withstand the harsh environmental changes, as well as those affecting our ancestors, leading to their extinction around 30,000 years ago.
But despite their larger brains, what was the key factor that led to the Neanderthals’ defeat by Homo sapiens?
TKTL1, which the Max Planck scientists focused on, is the critical factor. By comparing the genetic sequences of modern humans with other human species, including Neanderthals, they discovered a unique amino acid substitution encoded in the TKTL1 gene of modern humans.
Our TKTL1 variant differs significantly from that of other species, including our “superhuman” relatives, enabling us to produce more radial glial cells as well as various other types of neuronal cells, resulting in a larger cortex, particularly in the frontal lobe.
This is particularly related to superior cognitive abilities – the golden key that allowed Homo sapiens to adapt more rapidly to changing living conditions and to compete with other species, making us the sole representatives of the genus Homo not wiped out by the Earth.
The study was recently published in the journal Science.
