Ancient Sahara desert reveals secrets of human lineage through DNA study

In the region now known as Libya, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have uncovered significant insights regarding a human lineage that thrived in the Sahara desert approximately 7,000 years ago. These findings are detailed in a study published in Nature, revealing that during the 'African Humid Period', the Sahara was not the arid desert that exists today but rather a lush and green environment, complete with lakes and streams, supporting human habitation and pastoralism. The researchers focused their investigation on the DNA of two naturally mummified individuals, which were exhumed from the Takarkori rock shelter, a site of historical importance in southwestern Libya. This period, which lasted from about 14,500 to 5,000 years ago, marked a time of climate transformation where increased precipitation supported diverse ecosystems and human life in this part of Africa. Findings indicate that human populations at the time were likely isolated, interacting infrequently, and engaging more in cultural exchanges than in continuous migration paths as presumed in earlier studies. Furthermore, through advanced genomic analysis, the research highlighted the genetic links between these early North African populations and contemporaneous foragers in Morocco, providing valuable context into how these groups diverged from other human lineages. Interestingly, the mummies displayed a unique genetic makeup, diverging from sub-Saharan African populations around the same time modern humans began their exodus from Africa approximately 50,000 years earlier. However, the study indicates that while these mummies carried some Neandertal DNA, they possessed significantly less than individuals found outside Africa, and more than those in present-day sub-Saharan regions. The results underline both genetic isolation and limited interrelationship with neighboring populations. Overall, this study adds depth to our understanding of human migration patterns in prehistory, suggesting that the deserts of the Sahara, contrary to prior beliefs, did not play a major role as avenues for human migration due to environmental changes separating various groups.