Male‑biased Neanderthal Gene Flow

A new Science analysis finds that surviving Neanderthal DNA in modern humans shows a strong bias consistent with gene flow primarily from Neanderthal males into anatomically modern human females (Platt et al., 2026). That pattern constrains explanations — it could reflect demographic rules (patrilocality), repeated small contact pulses, or coercive interactions — and requires rethinking simple 'mate‑choice' narratives. — Shows that genomic detail (sex‑biased introgression) changes how we interpret ancient social behavior and the biological distinctiveness of Neanderthals, affecting public debates about human uniqueness and species labels.