Scientists have shown that Neanderthal DNA is more than just an interesting souvenir of inter-breeding between ancient human sub-species.
It appears to influence around a dozen health-related traits - many of them not good.
Those include if you are a heavy smoker, overweight, depressed, and have survived a heart attack or stroke.
One specific genetic variant inherited from Neanderthals significantly increases the chances of being addicted to nicotine, the study found. Express.
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