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A new DNA database is under development after scientists believe they may have found a new species of human.

High in the Altai mountains in southern Siberia in the Denisova cave, Russian archealogists unearthed the finger bone of a young child in 2008. The child was believed to be 5 to 7 years old at the time of death and the bone was tested for mitochondrial DNA.

Now scientists wonder if a new branch of the human family tree existed between Homo erectus that left Africa two million years ago and Neanderthals that left 500,000 years ago.

The Denisova child is believed to come from a form of human that left Africa about one million years ago. Researchers caution that the child may not belong to a new species of human, but from a small population formed by interbreeding among lineages. The remainder of the child’s DNA from the nuclear genome will be tested to determine this.

Radiocarbon dating first established the timeframe of the child’s death, estimating the boy or girl lived during the Pleistocene Ice Age between 48,000 and 30,000 years ago. Because the earth’s climate was much colder at that time, it’s likely the child wore some form of clothing.

Scientists were surprised to unearth more modern artifacts at the site too, such as jewelry. This kind of object was more indicative of modern humans in Europe so scientists will try to determine if the objects were related or they were left behind by other cultures through the ages.

This discovery debunks the linear theory of genealogy and will eventually affect family DNA surname projects. Until recently scientists believed there was a linear development of the human species, beginning with Homo erectus then Neanderthal and finally modern humans, Homo Sapien.

This new branch or potential new species will surely add to the growing DNA database growing daily around the world.

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