Silvana Condemi: The Denisova Enigma

Abstract:

In December 2010, humanity received an incredible Christmas gift: the sequencing of DNA contained in a tiny phalanx found in Siberia in Denisova Cave. This sequence indicated that 50,000 years ago, Sapiens coexisted not only with Neandertals, but also with a third species, “Denisova,” defined for the first time by genetics rather than by fossil characteristics. Even more intriguing, this Asian brother of Neandertal is thought to have populated an impressive geographical area over hundreds of thousands of years, extending from the Altai Mountains to the Philippines. Where did Denisovans come from? What was their way of life? What did they leave behind? In her talk, Silvana Condemi will recount this fascinating epic that is leading to a rewriting of the long history of human settlement on our planet.

Silvana Condemi, paleoanthropologist, is a research director at the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique). She conducts her research on the evolution of the genus Homo, particularly Neanderthals and our species, Homo sapiens, at Aix-Marseille Université in France. She is the author of several scientific monographs, numerous articles published in peer-reviewed journals, and also widely distributed books (Néandertal, mon frère; Flammarion 2016 and Champs Flammarion 2020; Dernières Nouvelles de Sapiens, Flammarion 2016; L'énigme Denisova, Albin-Michel 2024; Néandertal à la Plage, Dunod 2024).

The lecture will be held in English.