Research highlight: Accurate depiction of uncertainty in ancient DNA research: The case of Neandertal ancestry in Africa

An article in the Journal of Social Archaeology looking at how researchers shaped public perceptions of Neandertal DNA heritage in living people.

Citation: John Hawks. Journal of Social Archaeology 21: 179–196 https://doi.org/10.1177/1469605321995616

In this article, I look at the origin of a myth: the notion that African people do not have any Neandertal DNA. I review the history of ancient DNA research on Neandertals and press statements to understand how this myth arose, and what the real scientific evidence showed at the time.