Ancient DNA from the Green Sahara reveals ancestral North African lineage

Takarkori exhibits a distinctive genetic profile, closely aligning with ancestral modern humans (OoA) while having a notable 0.15% Neanderthal ancestry. This small but significant percentage places them genetically distant from many sub-Saharan African populations but closer to OoA groups like Zlatý kŮň. The presence of Saharan populations as the primary source of their African ancestry suggests recent admixture, likely occurring as early as the Upper Paleolithic period, with minimal interaction over time compared to other African groups.