Recent genetic analysis of 45,000-year-old human fossils is reshaping our understanding of how early humans spread across the globe. The discovery of seven ancient genomes, the oldest ever found from modern humans, offers a new perspective on the migration out of Africa and the interactions of our ancestors with other populations.

A Small Group on the Edge of the Ice Age World

Around 45,000 years ago, a small population—likely fewer than 1,000 individuals—roamed the frigid northern landscapes of Europe. Known as the LRJ culture, these early humans survived by hunting large Ice Age animals like woolly rhinoceroses. They likely had dark skin and relied on animal furs for warmth in the harsh tundra environment.

Archaeological evidence of the LRJ people has been uncovered in caves across Europe, where their distinctive stone tools and fossilized bones have been found. Now, a groundbreaking genetic study has provided an even clearer picture of their origins and their role in the expansion of modern humans.

A More Recent Migration Than Expected

DNA from LRJ fossils found in Germany and the Czech Republic reveals that these early Europeans were closely related to all non-African populations living today. However, their ancestry points to a more recent migration out of Africa than previously believed.

Scientists estimate that the common ancestors of the LRJ people and today’s non-African populations lived about 47,000 years ago. This timeline contrasts with earlier studies suggesting that modern humans arrived in Australia around 65,000 years ago and that human-like fossils found in China may date back as far as 100,000 years.

Rewriting the Story of Human Expansion

The significant gap between these dates raises new questions about early human migrations. If the ancestors of today’s non-Africans only began spreading across the world 47,000 years ago, then the humans who lived in regions like China and Australia before that may have belonged to earlier migratory waves that did not contribute genetically to modern populations.

“They cannot be part of the genetic diversity that’s present outside Africa,” explained Johannes Krause, a geneticist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and a co-author of the study.

These findings suggest that while modern humans may have attempted to leave Africa multiple times, only one major migration—beginning around 47,000 years ago—ultimately shaped the ancestry of today’s non-African populations. This research provides a deeper understanding of how our species adapted and spread, offering fresh insights into the journey that led to the world as we know it today.