None of these questions can be answered from the available evidence.

The bone fragment that holds Denny’s story is silent on these matters.

DNA tells us about biology, not biography.

The Climate That Connected Ancient Worlds

One factor that is often overlooked in discussions of Neanderthal-Denisovan interaction is the role of climate in shaping the geographic ranges and potential meeting zones of ancient human groups.

The period around 90,000 years ago — when Denny lived — was during a glacial phase, when the global climate was substantially cooler than today.

Ice sheets extended from the poles, sea levels were lower, and the landscape of Eurasia was significantly different from the modern configuration.