A wide range of interesting revelations emerged from this research project, which sought to untangle the complex genetic, evolutionary, and cultural relationships between these groups. The most notable finding was that some highland residents of Papua New Guinea were carrying strands of Denisovan DNA in their genomes that their ancestors had picked up approximately 25,000 years ago. This was long after their ancestors had migrated to Near Oceania from the East Asian mainland.
This discovery was eye-opening and could have profound implications. Adding weight to its authenticity is another study, published in 2019 , that found essentially the same thing.
A Tamuniaï village house on stilts off the coast of New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea. (
Share
Researchers analyzed the genomes of 317 Indigenous Oceanian people to reconstruct a history of migration through the vast island region. Marc Dozier
Study reveals ‘exciting’ history of humans in Pacific. But critics blast lack of Indigenous input
Apr. 14, 2021 , 11:20 AM
It was one of the boldest journeys in human history: People ventured into the open Pacific Ocean in double-hulled canoes, crossing thousands of kilometers to find and settle far-flung lands. Now, a study of the genomes of hundreds of modern Indigenous residents of Oceania provides new insights into the routes those ancient voyagers took and who they encountered along the way. The findings suggest more mingling among ancient people in the region than many scientists had thought, including four mixing events with the extinct Denisovan lineage. Despite those intriguing results, critics say the authors failed to meaningfully involve members of the Indigenous communities who provided DNA for the stu