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Neanderthal Sinc
Description
Thousands of years after Neanderthals vanished, fragments of their DNA persist in the modern human genome. This piece visualizes the density of Neanderthal-derived genetic variants across all 22 human autosomes as wave interference patterns — a kind of signal left behind by ancient interbreeding.
The definition of "species" is squishier than we might think: our own genomes carry evidence that breeding between close relatives in the tree of life was not uncommon. Hybrid vigor — the phenomenon where cross-breeding produces individuals with greater fitness — has been observed across many species, and it is possible we humans have benefited from it as well.
Original pen-plotted artwork. One of a kind.
