Denisovan reference — UPSC Prelims PYQ 2019

The word ‘Denisovan’ is sometimes mentioned in media in reference to

1. fossils of a kind of dinosaurs
2. an early human species
3. a cave system found in North-East India
4. a geological period in the history of the Indian subcontinent

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• The Denisovans, together with the Neanderthals, are the closest extinct relatives of modern humans. The Denisovans are named for the location where the first fossils were found, Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of Siberia, Russia.

Answer: (b) an early human species; Difficulty Level: Medium