A 146,000-year-old skull, nicknamed 'Dragon Man', initially believed to represent a new human species, has been identified as a Denisovan. Discovered in China in the 1930s, the skull's analysis, using advanced protein and mitochondrial DNA extraction techniques, revealed its connection to other Denisovan remains. This discovery provides the first complete Denisovan skull, significantly advancing our understanding of this enigmatic ancient human group and its place in human evolution.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.