Why your Neanderthal genes may be affecting your health

About this episode

This episode explores the impact of Neanderthal genes on modern human health through an interview with Prof Chris Stringer.

There’s so much we don’t know about Neanderthals. Our stocky, muscular relatives went extinct around 40,000 years ago, leaving a trail of mystery in their wake – about what they were like, how they lived, and why they disappeared. But, while Neanderthals themselves have gone, fragments of their DNA live on inside us. In this episode, we speak to Prof Chris Stringer, scientific associate at London’s Natural History Museum, and author of several books, including Britain: one million years of the human story (with Rob Dinnis) and Our Human Story (with Louise Humphrey). Chris tells us all about Neanderthals, from what they looked like, to where they lived, and how they might have interacted with Homo sapiens – that’s us. He also explains why so many of us have Neanderthal genes, and what that might be doing to our health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Guest: Prof Chris Stringer

Topics covered

• Neanderthals
• genetics
• human evolution
• health
• Homo sapiens

Keywords

• Neanderthal
• DNA
• health
• evolution
• Homo sapiens
• genetics
• mystery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: London’s Natural History Museum

Books & works: Britain: one million years of the human story, Our Human Story

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