Shiftheads - There's DNA in You From an Ancestor Science Can't Name

A new genetic technique just uncovered stretches of DNA in modern humans that do not match any known ancestor, not Neanderthal, not Denisovan, not anything on record. Dr. Samantha Yammine explains how researchers managed to date something this old without ever holding a physical sample of it. Samantha breaks down what actually makes a stretch of DNA look ancient, using the number of small copying mistakes it carries as a kind of clock. What those mystery genes might have actually done for the people who carried them, though, is still an open question. She also connects this to Neanderthal interbreeding, and why some ancient traits stuck around while entire species disappeared. It reframes what carrying "ancient" DNA even means. Topics: ghost ancestor DNA, ancient DNA technique, Neanderthal, Denisovan, human evolution GUEST: Dr. Samantha Yammine | http://samanthayammine.com | @‌science.sam Originally aired on 2026-08-31