Uploaded December 2017 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Most mysterious extinct human species! From a species possibly more intelligent than man to another human-like group that may have existed as recently as 12,000 years ago
Number 8. “The Denisovans”- Traces of DNA from the mysterious archaic species known as the Denisovans, who are believed to have lived between 765,000 and 550,000 years ago, can be found in several groups of modern humans. In fact more is known about their DNA than is known about their physical traits. The only bones that have been found from the Denisovans are two teeth, a finger bone and toe bone. From these tiny samples scientists were able to find that they were most likely a species that splintered from Neanderthals after Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens split. Small remnants of their DNA can be found today in Tibetans, Aborigines, as well as other native tribes of Oceania and Southeast Asia. Anthropologists believe that Tibetans in particular may have received The Denisovans’ enhanced ability to adapt to cold weather. The Denisovans might actually be a product of these two species interbreeding. Further discoveries of Denisovan remains could possibly give us a more exact timeline of man’s migration from Asia to the Americas as their genes have recently been found in the Inuit people’s of Greenland. Because of the lack of bones available to paleontologists they're hesitant to declare Denisovans their own species.
Number 7. “Homo Naledi”- Homo naledi is believed to have been a close cousin of Homo sapiens that was more primitive on the evolutionary scale yet lived during the same time as our direct ancestors. A more recent discovery, scientists were stunned when they found out, via carbon dating, that the Naledi may have lived as recently as 100,000 years ago! They are considered less evolved than homo sapiens as they retained more ape-like traits like smaller bodies, smaller skulls and tiny brains. Even though their brains were smaller they were still found to perform mentally advanced rituals such as burying their dead, making jewelry and forging weapons for hunting. Because they seem so far behind on the timeline of evolution, some scientists think that they may have started out more advanced, or similar to homo sapiens, but then regressed to be more ape-like. Like many of the species on this list they probably went extinct to the growing population of the more advanced humans who likely hogged their resources and had superior survival tactics. There are some fringe anthropologists who believe that Naledi may actually be a species that Homo sapiens evolved from, but most data says otherwise.
Most mysterious extinct human species! From a species possibly more intelligent than man to another human-like group that may have existed as recently as 12,000 years ago
Number 8. “The Denisovans”- Traces of DNA from the mysterious archaic species known as the Denisovans, who are believed to have lived between 765,000 and 550,000 years ago, can be found in several groups of modern humans. In fact more is known about their DNA than is known about their physical traits. The only bones that have been found from the Denisovans are two teeth, a finger bone and toe bone. From these tiny samples scientists were able to find that they were most likely a species that splintered from Neanderthals after Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens split. Small remnants of their DNA can be found today in Tibetans, Aborigines, as well as other native tribes of Oceania and Southeast Asia. Anthropologists believe that Tibetans in particular may have received The Denisovans’ enhanced ability to adapt to cold weather. The Denisovans might actually be a product of these two species interbreeding. Further discoveries of Denisovan remains could possibly give us a more exact timeline of man’s migration from Asia to the Americas as their genes have recently been found in the Inuit people’s of Greenland. Because of the lack of bones available to paleontologists they're hesitant to declare Denisovans their own species.
Number 7. “Homo Naledi”- Homo naledi is believed to have been a close cousin of Homo sapiens that was more primitive on the evolutionary scale yet lived during the same time as our direct ancestors. A more recent discovery, scientists were stunned when they found out, via carbon dating, that the Naledi may have lived as recently as 100,000 years ago! They are considered less evolved than homo sapiens as they retained more ape-like traits like smaller bodies, smaller skulls and tiny brains. Even though their brains were smaller they were still found to perform mentally advanced rituals such as burying their dead, making jewelry and forging weapons for hunting. Because they seem so far behind on the timeline of evolution, some scientists think that they may have started out more advanced, or similar to homo sapiens, but then regressed to be more ape-like. Like many of the species on this list they probably went extinct to the growing population of the more advanced humans who likely hogged their resources and had superior survival tactics. There are some fringe anthropologists who believe that Naledi may actually be a species that Homo sapiens evolved from, but most data says otherwise.
