In 2014, scientists compared EPAS1 DNA from 40 Tibetans and 40 Han Chinese and linked a high-altitude adaptation to Denisovan-like ancestry. 12 years later, the finding traced the genetic gift to an interbreeding event about 48,700 years ago

In 2014, scientists found a remarkable clue in Tibetan DNA. They compared the EPAS1 gene in 40 Tibetans and 40 Han Chinese and uncovered a genetic adaptation linked to life at extreme altitude. The story did not end there. Twelve years later, researchers traced this high-altitude advantage to Denisovan-like ancestry. It came from an ancient interbreeding event about 48,700 years ago, leaving a lasting mark on human evolution.