When our prehistoric ancestors mated with Denisovans , they may have picked up some highly advantageous genes that continue to benefit our health today. According to a new study, some human populations may even carry Denisovan DNA that enhances their resistance to a range of parasitic diseases, including malaria. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

As more and more Denisovan fossils turn up across Asia, it’s becoming increasingly clear that our extinct sister lineage once occupied a huge swathe of Earth’s landmass, and would therefore have had to adapt to a wide range of climates and habitats. Inevitably, certain populations would have come into contact with mosquitoes, ticks , and other vectors that carry dangerous p

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