Three human species, of which only one survived

Our understanding of our distant ancestors and their kin was formed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Back then, there were no signs of any significant breakthroughs. Skulls, jaws, and, more commonly, phalanges and teeth filled museum reserves, prompting only subdued excitement in the specialized academic press. However, in the 2000s, everything changed with the emergence of a new science - paleogenetics. It gave voice to long-muted remains, unveiled a hitherto undiscovered human species, and provided unparalleled insight into the lives of our ancestors, whose legacy had been preserved solely through bone fragments across the ages.