A new study published in Nature provides the most detailed picture to date of Neandertal diversity in western Europe shortly before their extinction.
Genetically connected
By analysing genetic data from 27 Neandertals from present-day Belgium and France, researchers found that late Neandertal populations were more genetically connected and diverse than previously thought. The study also found no evidence of recent gene flow from modern humans into these groups and challenges the idea that progressive genetic decline was a major factor in their disappearance.
Connections
An important contribution to the research came from the Neandertal specimen discovered at Les Cottés in France, excavated under the direction of Professor Marie Soressi of Leiden University's Faculty of Archaeology. Previous genetic analyses of this individual had already revealed an unexpected genetic profile, showing connections to Neandertal populations living far beyond western Europe.
Key reference
In the new study, the Les Cottés specimen served as a key reference for interpreting newly generated genomes from Belgium and France and for reconstructing the population history of the last Neandertals. Together, the data reveal that these final Neandertal populations were not a single homogeneous group but rather a network of interconnected communities that retained traces of different ancestral lineages until shortly before their extinction.
New information
'Each additional high-quality Neandertal genome provides an extraordinary amount of new information,' says Professor Marie Soressi. 'The discoveries reported in this study show how much we can learn when more individuals become available for genetic analysis.'
According to Soressi, the findings highlight how much remains to be discovered about Neandertal populations and their social connections.
'We are only beginning to uncover the diversity and complexity of Neandertal populations,' she says. 'As more genomes become available from sites across Europe and beyond, we can move from studying isolated individuals to reconstructing entire communities, their relationships, and the social networks that connected them.'
Publication
The DOI number of our paper is 10.1038/s41586-026-10625-1. You may read the article online.
