For now, the Neanderthal genome is an abstract string of billions of DNA letters, stored in computer databases. But it naturally sparks the imagination: Could scientists use that genetic blueprint to create proto-Neanderthals in the flesh? In the not-so-distant future, advances in genetic engineering might enable that feat. But whether such a resurrection should happen is another story altogether. What makes modern humans unique?

Scientists have taken another step toward solving an enduring mystery with a new tool, that may allow for more precise comparisons between the DNA of modern humans and that of our extinct ancestors. What's more, Humans and Neanderthals share up to 98.5 percent of our DNA, when you take into account that humans have up to 5% Neanderthal-specific DNA. Furthermore, an estimated 20% of the Neanderthal genome exists in living humans, so finding living DNA would not be so difficult. That’s a pretty small percentage, that means only 1.5% of our DNA is not shared with Neanderthals.