Extinct human remains recovered from the seabed floor have fueled claims of real-life biblical giants who may have towered up to eight inches above the average modern man.
Fossilised leg bones found near Taiwan belonged to Denisovans, according to research led by the University of Tokyo.
It has revived comparisons to references of giants that appear in several passages of the Old Testament, often described as formidable warriors, ancient tyrants, or specific ethnic clans of unusual height.
The extinct human species, which diverged from the Neanderthal lineage roughly 550,000 years ago, was identified through analysis of two partial leg fossils pulled from the Penghu Channel separating Taiwan from mainland China.
At their estimated maximum height, these individuals would have stood some eight inches above the average modern man, placing them among the most imposing ancient humans known from the Ice Age.
Protein analysis of material preserved within the fossils confirmed that both specimens belong to the Denisovan lineage, a group that once ranged across large swathes of eastern Asia.
The thigh bone, designated Penghu 2, was calculated to have been approximately 19.3 inches long in its complete form, suggesting its owner stood around five feet 11 inches and weighed roughly 183 pounds.
The shin bone, Penghu 3, was estimated at about 17 inches in length and bore a bulge from a healed injury.
Its owner may have reached approximately six feet three inches and weighed 201 pounds, substantially taller than today's average male height of five feet nine inches.
The sheer scale of the bones points to male individuals, although evidence was insufficient to determine sex
These findings match biological references, although Denisovans are not directly mentioned in the bible by species name.
Independent researcher Jimmy Corsetti has seized upon the discovery to draw a connection between Denisovans and the Nephilim, the enigmatic figures often interpreted as giants in religious tradition.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Scientific breakthrough finally uncovers how 'first bird' learnt to fly 150 million years ago
- Treasure trove of British natural history sold to Middle East in 'loss to the nation'
- 'Giant's tomb' dating back nearly 4,000 years discovered as archaeologists make stunning discovery
Mr Corsetti posted on X: "New discovery indicates that Denisovans were 8in TALLER than the average man today. I've asked before, and I'll ask again: Were Denisovans the 'Nephilim Giants' described in the Bible? Btw, the discovered bones were found on the SEAFLOOR! Gee, almost as if a Great Flood actually happened (it did, regardless if these bones are of an unrelated timeframe)."
The Nephilim appear twice in the Old Testament, in Genesis 6:4, just before the Flood narrative, and in Numbers 13:33.
The study, however, offers no evidence tying Denisovans to the Nephilim or any biblical deluge, and its conclusions have not yet undergone peer review.
The findings upend Bergmann's rule, which holds that populations nearer the equator tend to be smaller than those in colder, higher-latitude regions.
The researchers noted that the frigid climate in which the Penghu Denisovans lived does not alone account for their remarkable proportions.
Chemical signatures in the shin bone indicate a diet dominated by meat, consistent with evidence that Denisovans hunted prey from mountain goats to large herbivores and carnivores.
The team suggested their powerful frames may have compensated for a potentially less refined toolkit compared with early modern humans.
Earlier Denisovan finds had established the species possessed sizeable brains, robust jaws and oversized teeth, but a shortage of postcranial material had left their overall stature uncertain.
The researchers stressed that additional fossils and genetic data are needed to establish whether such imposing builds were typical across the population.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
