Asia -
first peoples

What happened when we expanded out of Africa and into Asia -- where did we go and whom did they meet along the way? The latest evidence suggests we left far earlier than previously thought and interbred with a newly-discovered type of ancient human -- the Denisovans. The existence of these people was only established four years ago, when geneticists extracted DNA from a tiny fragment of finger bone. And because our ancestors mated with them, their genes found a home within our DNA. More than that, they've helped us survive and thrive.

Duration: 55 minutes and 21 seconds

Episode Number: 103

About First Peoples:

See how the mixing of prehistoric human genes led the way for our species to survive and thrive around the globe.

Archaeology, genetics and anthropology cast new light on 200,000 years of history, detailing how early humans became dominant.

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