Single gene alteration may separate Homo sapiens from Neanderthals

One single gene alteration in the brains of modern humans may be all that separates us from our extinct Neanderthal cousins, according to a new study. They found 61 genes that were different, with one - NOVA1 - the key to what makes us'modern humans' because it influences other genes during early brain development. The researchers used the discovery to create a'mini brain' that mimics a Neanderthal mind with stem cells. This enabled them to create a direct comparison with modern humans. They found that the'Neanderthal-ized' brain organoid'looked very different' to that of a modern human, with a distinctly different shape and different protein functions.