Archaeologists have discovered a unique Neanderthal genome in France, potentially shedding light on extinction patterns. The genome strand, known as 'Thorin,' was found in the Rhône River Valley in 2015 and is one of the most complete Neanderthal individuals found in France since 1979. The DNA dates back to approximately 50-42 thousand years ago, making Thorin one of the last representatives of Neanderthals in Eurasia. The study suggests that Thorin represents a lineage that remained isolated for approximately 50,000 years, and there are no genetic connections between Thorin and other Neanderthal lineages.