This finding has implications for how we think about the relationship between ancient and modern populations.

When Cheddar Man is described as one of the “first Britons,” that is accurate in the sense that his population was among the first to establish continuous habitation of what would become Britain.

But the relationship between his population and modern British people is not primarily one of direct descent.

It is more like the relationship between a small original shareholder in a company and the much larger number of later investors — the original stake is present, but diluted.

The Lactose Question: A Window Into Diet And Evolution