When modern humans journeyed out of Africa, a rapid evolution in their red blood cells may have helped them survive — but it may have also led to the eventual disappearance of Neanderthals, a new study finds.
By sequencing the genomes of dozens of people who lived between 120,000 and 20,000 years ago, researchers found that Neanderthals had a rare blood group that could have been fatal to their newborns. Their study was published Thursday (Jan. 23) in the journal Scientific Reports.
