What is the scientific explanation for mysterious human ‘ghost DNA’?

[Anonymous]

It's in our bodies. The proof is there. Scientists just can't point where it comes from, like they can with the Neanderthal DNA and others. There isn't even any fossils found on those ancestors, but we have the DNA inside us. They just completely vanished. A lot of our ancestors obviously died out, but at least proof of their existence have been found. But not of the "Ghost DNA" one. Previously known as "junk DNA".

[DryGermanGuy]

Knowing the millions of years long development of the various Homo types until homo sapiens sapiens, there's nothing really mysterious about it. Just another DNA fragment we still get to carry with us since the time of homo habilis (or maybe even earlier). The chances are slim to find analyzable bone material from these specimen, but it's possible, of course.

[OneViewpoint]

Here, do some reading.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9086759/

[Asker]

Good research. I've also learned that junk DNA and Ghost DNA is not the same thing. This research only covered Junk and Spam DNA. I'm more curious about Ghost DNA. Junk DNA is a type of DNA that can't be traced through ancestors. Ghost DNA is a form genealogical dna that is traceable through ancestors, but they just can't find any records/bones/proof of that ancestor.

[Razp_Sorbet]

You just explained it, the explanation is we don't have the evidence to show where the DNA came from. Parts of our DNA was considered ghost DNA until we found out about Denisovans. Its possible with more digging we may be able to find evidence and find out who the ghost DNA comes from

[jahaims]

It's just dna from a hominin species we haven't found fossils of yet.