DNA analysed from early European

[Liffrea]

Scientists have analysed DNA extracted from the remains of a 30,000-year-old European hunter-gatherer.

Studying the DNA of long-dead humans can open up a window into the evolution of our species (Homo sapiens).

But previous studies of this kind have been hampered by scientists' inability to distinguish between the ancient human DNA and modern contamination.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8435317.stm

[Agrippa]

Really interesting:

The researchers were able to assign the Kostenki individual to haplogroup "U2", which is relatively uncommon among modern populations.

U2 appears to be scattered at low frequencies in populations from South and Western Asia, Europe and North Africa.

Despite its rarity, the very presence of this haplogroup in today's Europeans suggests some continuity between Palaeolithic hunters and the continent's present-day inhabitants, argue the authors of the latest study.


The "U" branch (comprising haplogroups U1, U2, U3 and so on) appears to be more ancient than many other genetic lineages found in Europe.

A recent study found a very high percentage of U types in the skeletal remains of ancient hunter-gatherers from Central Europe compared with later farming immigrants and modern people from the region.

Also compare:
http://dienekes.blogspot.com/2010/01/30000-year-old-mtdna-haplogroup-u2-from.html

Skulls from the area & time, which seem to have been still rather primitive in comparison to later or modern variants:

[Svarogstan]

For what it's worth I am U3a.

[Hweinlant]

This is how the guy looked like, nothing to do with modern europids

http://www.kunstkamera.ru/images/g/09_14.jpg
http://www.kunstkamera.ru/images/g/09_17.jpg