Ancient Human DNA: Phylogenetic Applications

Ever since deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was first extracted from the remains of long‐dead organisms in the 1980s, researchers have been interested in the investigation of ancient human DNA. Such studies of DNA extracted from ancient human remains attempt to shed light on the genetic makeup of archaic and extinct, anatomically modern human populations, as well as on the relationships between these individuals and modern humans. These studies have long been limited by several factors, including the contamination of ancient samples with modern human DNA, and the limited accessibility of nuclear DNA from ancient human remains. However, recent innovations in DNA sequencing technology have lead to a dramatic increase in DNA sequence data available from archaic or extinct human populations and to unexpected new insights into human evolution.