We carry DNA from extinct cousins like Neanderthals. Science is now revealing their genetic legacy

People walk past the faces of human ancestors as they visit the exhibits inside the Smithsonian Hall of Human Origins, Thursday, July 20, 2023, at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington. More research is showing that we carry genes from other kinds of ancient humans, and their DNA affects our lives today. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)