A new genetic study has revealed that many modern humans have Neanderthal ancestry.

The study, published in the journal Science, compared the Neanderthal genome to the genes of five humans alive today. The comparison revealed that in some individuals, up to 4% of the total genome was of Neanderthal origin.

The scientists were led by Svante Paabo of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, who was involved in the original sequencing of the Neanderthal genome (which we reported on last October). “[Neanderthals] are not totally extinct,” Paabo said. “In some of us they live on, a little bit.”

University of Wisconsin–Madison anthropologist John Hawks added, “They’re us. We’re them.” Hawks also noted that he was “surprised” at the extent of Neanderthal contributions to the modern human genome.

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Offspring that is able to have more offspring bringing on its DNA suggests it is the same kind, not two different species. Closer related than for example lions and tigers (both are a cat kind) able to have a hybrid offspring called liger or tigon. These hybrids are often but not always sterile because the parents are too far removed from each other genetically. Often the sterility is in the fathers genetic makeup.

Cat Experts: Ligers and Other Designer Hybrids Pointless and Unethical

Highlight: “They’re us. We’re them.”