It is not a morning lark, but a Neanderthal, according to new research. The lead author of the new study, John Capra, an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, said that they discovered a striking trend by analyzing bits of Neanderthal DNA that remain in modern human genomes. This isn't a sign of our early brethren being less evolved or anything, but an evolutionary advantage. The day lengths of humans in tropical Africa were on average 12 hours long, according to Mark Maslin, a Professor of Earth System Science at University College London. It makes sense to start collecting food as soon as possible because the shorter days in winter make it hard to find food.
By the time modern humans left Africa around 70,000 years ago, Europe and Asia already had their own brand of archaic hominins, the Neanderthals and Denisovans. Increased resistance to certain diseases, for example, or lighter skin tones to cope with the comparative lack of sunlight in their more northerly locale are some of the genetic specializations that have been developed. The reason for bigger noses, a lower pain threshold, and a higher vulnerability to COVID-19 are all attributed to the Neanderthals. The pattern and level of light exposure available is one environmental factor that has been shown to produce evolutionary adaptation in a wide range of species. Neanderthals were able to rise on time because they were able to see no sun in the winter if they went far enough to the pole. It is beneficial to have a clock that is more flexible and able to change to match the seasonal light levels at higher latitudes. We think it's a signal of a faster clock that can adapt to seasonal variation in light levels.
The genes isolated by the team are only a small part of what decides when we wake up. The discovery is worth exploring further, as well as extending their methods to investigate other archaic traits. The genetics of Neanderthals and modern humans were discovered by combining ancient DNA, large-scale genetic studies in modern humans and artificial intelligence.