Nobel Prize In Medicine Awarded For Research On Evolution
Newsy
Swedish scientist Svante Paabo spearheaded the development of techniques allowing researchers to compare the modern human genome with other hominins.
Swedish scientist Svante Paabo won this year's Nobel Prize in medicine Monday for his discoveries on human evolution that provided key insights into our immune system and what makes us unique compared with our extinct cousins, the award's panel said.
Paabo has spearheaded the development of new techniques that allowed researchers to compare the genome of modern humans and that of other hominins — the Neanderthals and Denisovans.
While Neanderthal bones were first discovered in the mid-19th century, only by unlocking their DNA — often referred to as the code of life — have scientists been able to fully understand the links between species.
