Researchers identified Denisovan remains at Bianfu Cave in Yunnan Province, China, by analyzing proteins in more than 60,000 bone fragments, even though DNA was not preserved in the fossils.
Notes on verification
Confirmed by primary Nature publication and multiple independent journalistic sources (CNN, KSL/AP, anthropology.net) with consistent details on location, method, sample size, and DNA preservation failure.
Sources
- Scientists Find a Trove of Denisovan Fossils and Tools in Southwest ... (smithsonianmag.com)
- https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/09/science/china-denisovan-fossil-discovery (cnn.com)
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10976-9 (nature.com)
- https://www.ksl.com/article/51621950/cave-fossils-in-china-reveal-lives-of-mysterious-human-relatives (ksl.com)
- https://www.anthropology.net/p/five-denisovan-fossils-in-china-confirmed (anthropology.net)