Just 7% of our DNA is unique to modern humans, study shows

[Jilly_in_VA]

What makes humans unique? Scientists have taken another step toward solving an enduring mystery with a new tool that may allow for more precise comparisons between the DNA of modern humans and that of our extinct ancestors.

Just 7% of our genome is uniquely shared with other humans, and not shared by other early ancestors, according to a study published Friday in the journal Science Advances.

“That's a pretty small percentage," said Nathan Schaefer, a University of California computational biologist and co-author of the new paper. “This kind of finding is why scientists are turning away from thinking that we humans are so vastly different from Neanderthals.”

The research draws upon DNA extracted from fossil remains of now-extinct Neanderthals and Denisovans dating back to around 40,000 or 50,000 years ago, as well as from 279 modern people from around the world.

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/dna-unique-modern-humans-study-shows-78889066

[Lovie777]

1. Interesting . . ..

[scipan]

2. How could these facts both be true? Help me out.

. The recent sequencing of the gorilla, chimpanzee and bonobo genomes confirms that supposition and provides a clearer view of how we are connected: chimps and bonobos in particular take pride of place as our nearest living relatives, sharing approximately 99 percent of our DNA, with gorillas trailing at 98 percent.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/tiny-genetic-differences-between-humans-and-other-primates-pervade-the-genome/

[wnylib]

3. Both are true because different

populations are being compared.

We share 98% to 99% of our DNA with chimps, but the other studies of modern humans and Neanderthals are making comparisons within the human line, from the 1% of DNA that we don't share with chimps. Of that 1%, only 7% of our DNA is uniquely modern.

For example, only a small percent of modern humans have blue eyes compared with other modern humans around the world. (Don't know the actual figure.) But all modern humans, regardless of eye color, share 98% to 99% chimp DNA.

[scipan]

4. Oh I get it now, thanks!

I should brush up on my reading comprehension. And that seems like a really small percentage, much less than I would have guessed. Very interesting.

[wnylib]

5. It was confusing, but glad to be able to clear it up.

Yes, it is a small percent. I guess it reflects how young modern humans are on the hominid family tree. We've only been around for about 130,000 years to evolve traits that are unique to us. The most recent ancestors to modern humans had hundreds of thousands of years to evolve their traits, and before them, it goes into millions of years.