High-altitude cave used by Tibetan Buddhists yields a Denisovan fossil

A high-altitude cave on the Tibetan Plateau, known as the Baishiya Karst Cave, has yielded a significant Denisovan fossil, the Xiahe mandible. This discovery sheds light on the diet of Denisovans, indicating they consumed a variety of animals including sheep, yaks, carnivores, and birds. The cave, situated over 3,000 meters above sea level, was a regular dwelling place for Denisovans for at least 100,000 years, surviving through multiple glacial cycles. Researchers used a technique called zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) to analyze protein fragments from bone samples found in the cave, successfully identifying the species of origin for nearly 80% of the fragments. This finding provides valuable insights into the behavior and habits of Denisovans, a group of ancient hominins closely related to modern humans. The study contributes to our understanding of Denisovan biology and their adaptation to high-altitude environments, offering a glimpse into the lifestyle of this enigmatic human relative.