
DepartmentScience
Confirmed: Ancient DNA Reveals Neanderthals Invented Sarcasm
FiledJohn Herring
Scientists at the University of Auckland in New Zealand have discovered fundamental genetic markers of scathing wit in the ancient DNA of Neanderthals (Homo sapiens neanderthalensis), the subspecies of archaic humans who lived about 40,000 years ago. These markers predate the equivalent in samples from ancient humans (Homo sapim sapim), leading the researchers to hypothesize …