Africans have Archaic Hominin DNA

I missed this 2020 science story:

Four West African populations — Yoruba, Esan, Mende, and Gambian — derive 2 to 19% of their genetic ancestry from a yet-undiscovered species of archaic hominin that diverged before the split of modern humans and the ancestors of Neanderthals and Denisovans, according to new research from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Contemporary people who have ancestors from Europe, Asia, and Oceania carry DNA from two archaic species, Neanderthals and Denisovans, making up 1-4% of their genome.

These genetic segments arrived in modern humans through introgression, the process by which members of two populations mate, and the resulting hybrid individuals then breed with members of the parent populations.

Recent studies have shown that, though modern West Africans do not have Neanderthal or Denisovan ancestry, there may have been introgression by other ancient hominins in their past.

It is commonly remarked that all humans have similar DNA and can interbreed. We are all relatives, and skin color only evolved recently.

But there are also DNA differences that go back a million years or more. Europeans have the Neanderthal DNA, and Africans have DNA from other pre-human cave men.

Nobody knows the significance of these genes. My guess is that a lot of other genetic differences are more important. At any rate, there are a lot of differences.