For decades researchers have wondered about the time when modern humans first ventured into the heart of Neanderthal territory in Europe. Now, two new studies of ancient genomes offer a glimpse into the identities of those first moderns to set foot in Europe and their relationships to the last Neanderthals. One study, in Bulgaria's Bacho Kiro cave, found that modern humans dated to about 45,000 years ago had interbred with our extinct cousins as recently as six generations, or 160 to 180 years, previously. But another study, of a dark-skinned, dark-haired, brown-eyed woman who may be the oldest known modern human in Europe, found that her ancestors had no recent contact with Neanderthals.

几十年来，研究人员一直想知道现代人第一次冒险进入欧洲尼安德特人领土的心脏的时间。现在，两项关于古代基因组的新研究提供了对那些最早涉足欧洲的现代人的身份及其与最后尼安德特人的关系的一瞥。一项在保加利亚Bacho Kiro洞穴中进行的研究发现，距今约45,000年前的现代人类与我们已灭绝的近亲杂交已有近六代，即160至180年。但是另一项针对深色皮肤，黑发，棕色眼睛的女人的研究可能是欧洲最古老的现代人类，但发现她的祖先最近没有与尼安德特人接触。