Chinese cave traces Denisovan hunting and adaptation across 120,000 years
Researchers have analyzed fossils and artifacts from Bianfu Cave in China to reconstruct 190,000 years of Denisovan history. The study provides a detailed timeline of how these ancient human relatives adapted to their environment over millennia.
Why it matters
This research significantly advances our understanding of human evolution and the survival strategies of archaic hominins.
by Kassi Klower, University of Wollongong
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Hominin fossils from Bianfu Cave. Credit: Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10997-4 An ancient cave in southwestern China has revealed new evidence about how Denisovans—an ancient human relative—lived, survived and adapted over more than 100,000 years.
The study, published in Nature , brings together fossils, stone and bone tools, animal remains and environmental records from Bianfu Cave in Yunnan Province to provide one of the longest cultural records of Denisovans.
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