A University of Tokyo and National Museum of Natural Science team identified Penghu 2 (femur) and Penghu 3 (tibia) from the Penghu Channel as Denisovan via palaeoproteomics — dated ~45,000-43,000 years and estimated at 180-190 cm tall, the first Denisovan postcranial remains.

A University of Tokyo team analyzed 42 Jomon genomes, showing their ancestors split from continental East Eurasians ~27,000-19,000 years ago and carrying positive selection signatures for cold adaptation (UCP1, TRPM8, FTO, APOA5) — convergent with Greenlandic Inuit.

A Jilin University team obtained complete mitogenomes from 207 individuals at the Dahekou cemetery (Shanxi), revealing strong maternal continuity between the Western Zhou Ba state and late Neolithic Yellow River populations (Taosi, Shimao cultures), plus Bronze Age exchanges with upper and lower Yellow River groups.