A term called heterozygosity

As we’ve mentioned earlier, interbreeding can be possible. What does it mean in layman’s terms, you ask? Well, it is something to do with a concept called heterozygosity. Essentially, if both of your parents are closely related– let’s say, distant cousins, for instance– the amount of heterozygosity that is present in your genes would be fairly scant. On the other hand, if you are indeed a result of inter-species breeding, those heterozygosity levels would be sky-high. Does it make sense?

As for the bone discovered in Denisova Cave in Siberia, it was undoubtedly a case of the latter. Computational biologist Richard E. Green explained to National Geographic that ancient DNA is actually heterozygous to a massive degree. Interestingly, Slon had discovered one of the most important updates of human evolution: a child born of interbreeding between two entirely different species.