A new study has revealed that before Neanderthals went extinct 65,000 years ago, they experienced a major upheaval that resulted in just one of their genetic lineages surviving in Europe and expanding across the continent. The findings, published in the journal, could shed light on what ultimately led to their extinction. The study used DNA from mitochondria in cells, which help generate energy for the body and pass down from mothers to offspring. The scientists found that Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA was significantly reduced across Europe, with their genetic diversity significantly reduced. The research could further test the possibility of analyzing DNA from Neanderthal cell nuclei instead of their mitochondria, which is less abundant than DNA from several hundred less abundant.