Neanderthals are classified by evolutionists as archaic humans given that both their DNA and bones are essentially human. Yet, new stories constantly hit the headlines with the supposedly shocking news that anatomically modern humans and Neanderthals were found to have interbred once again. Recently, another such story appeared in the journal Genetics.1 Why is this type of news so exciting, yet also so confusing to evolutionists?
In the human evolution story, many scientists claim that anatomically modern humans did not evolve and migrate out of Africa until about 100,000 to 200,000 years. The problem with this idea is that humans with so-called “archaic features” have left their fossil remains all over the world with supposed evolutionary age dates well over 200,000 years.2 To get around this problem of ancient humans being found all over the world, evolutionists will claim that these so-called “archaic humans” (Neanderthals and Homo erectus) evolved from ancestors that migrated out of Africa well before anatomically modern humans evolved. Then, as the story goes, modern looking humans interbred with the archaic humans.
In a current study making headlines, researchers found that modern human Eurasian populations (which have had their DNA analyzed) can trace some of their genetic material back to two different Neanderthal individuals whose DNA was extracted from fossils and sequenced.1 One Neanderthal was discovered in a cave in Croatia and the other was discovered in the Altai mountains in Russia. The lead researcher was interviewed and said, "It's not a single introgression of genetic material from Neanderthals," and "It's just this spider web of interactions that happen over and over again.”3 The fact that so-called “archaic humans” and modern humans were constantly interbreeding doesn’t help develop a coherent and tidy evolutionary story that already has lots of other problems.
This type of news is nothing new or startling to biblical creationists who recognize Neanderthals as part of the human family and would naturally expect past human populations to have interbred just as they do today. In fact, empirical research in genetic clocks, performed without calibrating the equations with deep evolutionary time, consistently indicates that humans have not been around on this earth for more than 5,000 to 10,000 years.4 The Bible’s timeline of genealogies and chronologies gives an age for the human race of around 6,000 years with a genetic bottleneck occurring about 4,500 years ago when the earth was repopulated by Noah’s three sons and their wives after the global Flood.5 Several recent studies in both genetics and population growth confirm this Genesis Flood-based narrative.6-7 Neanderthals easily fit within this empirical (non-theoretical) data as being a post-Flood people group that interbred with other groups. And this idea of so-called “archaic traits” only being found in Neanderthals and Homo erectus is an evolutionary myth, because these same anatomical variations can still be observed among people living today.8
Data from both genetics and anthropology consistently vindicates and matches the Bible’s narrative while at the same time confusing the evolutionary picture—which is always evolving. The apostle Paul had some choice words that describe this scenario well, “Professing to be wise, they became fools,” and “Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.”9
References
1. Taskent, O. et al. 2020. Analysis of Haplotypic Variation and Deletion Polymorphisms Point to Multiple Archaic Introgression Events, Including from Altai Neanderthal Lineage. Genetics. DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303167.
2. Tomkins, Ph.D. 2019. Homo erectus: The Ape Man That Wasn't. Acts & Facts. 48 (10)
3. Hsu, C. 2020. Modern humans, Neanderthals share a tangled genetic history, study affirms. Posted on phys.org April 1, 2019, accessed April 3, 2020.
4. Tomkins, J. P. 2015. Genetic Clocks Verify Recent Creation. Acts & Facts. 44 (12): 9-11.
5. Hardy, C. and R. Carter. 2014. The biblical minimum and maximum age of the earth. Journal of Creation. 28 (2): 89-96.
6. Tomkins, J. P. Y-Chromosome Study Confirms Genesis Flood. Creation Science Update. Posted on icr.org December 17, 2019, accessed April 3, 2020.
7. Tomkins, J. P. Population Growth Matches Bible and DNA Clock. Creation Science Update. Posted on icr.org January 28, 2019, accessed April 3, 2020.
8. Tomkins, J. P. 2019. Recent Humans with Archaic Features Upend Evolution. Acts & Facts. 48 (4)
9. Romans 1:22, 3:4.
*Dr. Tomkins is Life Sciences Director at the Institute for Creation Research and earned his doctorate in genetics from Clemson University.
Neanderthal DNA Muddles Evolutionary Story
The Latest
April 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things...
Human Evolution and the Inner Ear
The vain attempt by evolutionists to make an evolutionary connection between people and ape-like ancestors continues. This time, it is in regard to...
CREATION PODCAST
Defending the Faith with a Rocket Scientist | Creation.Live Podcast:...
How do engineering principles, biological complexity, and a solid understanding of apologetics work together to further the cause of Christ? Why...
Aerobic and Anaerobic Hot Spring Bacteria
God designed a domain of prokaryotes called Archaea that thrive in harsh and extreme environments. In 1969, two microbiologists, Thomas Brock and Hudson...
CREATION PODCAST
The Soulless Hominid Theory: A Fatal Flaw in Old Earth Creationism...
Welcome to the second episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit...
Humpback Whale Calls Echo Creation
There is nothing simple about the system of communication called language, whether animal or human.1 Human language is a very sophisticated...
Mary Parker, Creation Ministry Partner of Dr. Gary Parker, Is...
Mary Parker, the wife and co-laborer of Dr. Gary Parker, went home to be with her Lord on March 20, 2025.
Dr. Parker was a popular and effective...
Plants Rely on Quantum Mechanics
Scientists will probably never fully understand photosynthesis as additional research uncovers even more fascinating mysteries.1,2 ICR’s...
Martian Polar Ice Cap ''Surprisingly Young''?
A team of German planetary scientists has concluded that a three-kilometer-thick northern polar ice cap on Mars has a “surprisingly young”...
''Blood Worm Moon'' Total Lunar Eclipse 2025
Barring cloud cover, about 75% of the country saw the total lunar eclipse, aka the “Blood Worm Moon.” Texas had good weather conditions...