The Secret World of Denisovans: The Epic Story of the Ancient Cousins to Sapiens and Neanderthals

Come face-to-face with Denisovans, the newly identified “third man” on Homo sapiens’ family tree—and how their miraculous discovery is rewriting the human story

In 2010, archaeologists working in Denisova Cave, Siberia, unearthed a tiny fragment of finger bone—and brought a lost human species to light. Thanks to the modern miracle of DNA analysis, “Denisovans” quickly took their place—alongside Neanderthals—as our closest cousins.

Since then, emerging research has rocked the field of paleoanthropology, from the timeline of human migration across the globe to our own genetic makeup. As researcher Condemi and journalist Savatier explain, Denisovans emerged 400,000 years ago, and went on to cover a “vast empire” across modern Asia and Southeast Asia, well before Homo sapiens arrived. Our ancient forebears then cross-bred with Denisovans in the East (as with Neanderthals in the West), and today, East Asians carry between 1 and 5 percent Denisovan DNA.

Working from the slimmest fossil record, scientists have used astounding new techniques to reconstruct the family structures, diet, technology, and even personal appearance of Denisovans and other prehistoric hominids—making The Secret World of Denisovans a 400,000-year account of human ingenuity.