Reacción a "A study suggests that interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans occurred mostly between Neanderthal males and modern human females"

This study provides relevant evidence for better understanding the interaction between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans. The genetic pattern it identifies, consistent with a sex bias in episodes of interbreeding, introduces an interesting nuance into our reconstruction of that contact. It is important to remember, however, that these are demographic inferences based on population models rather than direct evidence of specific behaviors.

From archaeology, we know that the encounter between the two groups was a prolonged and varied process, unfolding across different territories and cultural contexts. If interbreeding was predominantly carried out by Neanderthal males and modern human females, this points to specific social dynamics—possibly related to mobility, group structure, or demographic imbalances—although it does not allow us to define exactly what those interactions were like.

This work refines and enriches the narrative of the encounter between Neanderthals and modern humans, and shows that, with new tools, we continue to deepen our understanding of a key episode in our evolutionary history.