Proteins To Prove Deep Admixture

John Hawks argues that even if full DNA cannot be recovered from hominins like Homo naledi, Flores ‘hobbits,’ or Luzon fossils, researchers will likely obtain protein sequences. Those data, combined with ancient DNA where possible, would enable statistical tests of extremely archaic gene flow into modern humans. This reframes expectations for resolving human‑origins debates beyond Neanderthal and Denisovan introgression. — If proteomics can settle whether ultra‑archaic lineages mixed with us, arguments about human diversity and adaptation move from speculation to testable evidence.