Through advanced DNA analysis, scientists have revealed the true origins of the ancient human relative known as the 'Dragon Man'.

The discovery of the giant, human-like skull in Harbin City, China, in 1933 sparked a mystery that has now been solved. The skull, featuring unique characteristics like a long braincase, massive brow ridge, broad nose, and large eyes, was given the name Homo longi or 'Dragon Man' in 2021.

Recent studies have confirmed that the Dragon Man skull actually belongs to the Denisovans, a group of ancient humans, rather than being a separate species. DNA analysis from the skull revealed a connection to an early Denisovan group that lived in Siberia between 217,000 and 106,000 years ago.

Researchers also compared the proteome of the skull to that of contemporary humans, Neanderthals, Denisovans, and nonhuman primates, finding a clear link between the Harbin cranium and early Denisovans.

Experts believe that the Harbin skull is the most complete fossil of a Denisovan found to date, shedding new light on the evolution of humans in Asia during the Middle Pleistocene epoch.

With the identification of the Harbin skull as Denisovan, along with other recent discoveries, paleoanthropologists now have definitive examples to compare unknown skulls to, providing valuable insights into the appearance of Denisovans.

Further studies of Middle Pleistocene fossil skulls will be crucial for understanding human evolution and identifying the physical characteristics of Denisovans.