Fifteen years after the discovery of a new type of human, the Denisovan, scientists discovered its DNA in a fossilized skull. The key? Tooth plaque.

Finally, we can put a face on a Denisovan. The "Dragon Man" skull was discovered in Harbin, China in 1933 by a local laborer, but remained hidden away until 2018. A new analysis now finds its very ...

A remarkable scientific discovery is reshaping our understanding of human evolution. The analysis of an incredibly preserved ancient skull, dubbed 'Dragon Man,' is providing unprecedented genetic ...

The Dragon Man skull, described as Homo longi in 2021, belongs to a Denisovan, according to new research. Fu et al., Cell, 2025 In 2010, DNA from a prehistoric finger bone found in Siberia’s ...

Given the skull’s age and backstory, Fu said she knew it would be challenging to extract ancient DNA from the fossil to better understand where it fit in the human family tree.