A groundbreaking study of a 7,100-year-old skeleton found in Yunnan, China, has revealed a “ghost” human lineage previously known only through genetic inference. The woman, named Xingyi_EN, belonged to a deeply divergent group called the Basal Asian Xingyi lineage, which may have contributed to modern Tibetan ancestry. This discovery, along with evidence of a distinct Central Yunnan ancestry, highlights the region’s role as a vital crossroads of ancient human migration. The findings, published in Science, emphasize Yunnan’s importance in understanding East and Southeast Asia’s complex population history.
