What does mtDNA evidence suggest about modern humans and Neanderthals?

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) provides valuable insights into the evolutionary relationships between modern humans and Neanderthals. The evidence suggests that both groups share a common ancestor that lived approximately 400,000 years ago. This means that modern humans and Neanderthals did not originate from entirely different lineages but rather diverged from a shared ancestor. This shared ancestry is evidenced by similarities in their mtDNA, which indicates that at some point, both groups had a common genetic heritage.

This evidence also implies that while Neanderthals and modern humans evolved separately for significant periods, they are not entirely unrelated. They likely experienced periods of overlap where interaction could have occurred, leading to genetic exchange. Thus, the idea that they descended from the same species aligns with the mtDNA studies, bolstering our understanding of human evolution and the complex relationships of early hominins.