Joe Rogan Experience #2563 - Dan Richards · Aired Oct 8, 2026
Claim summary · not a verbatim quotation
Denisovans were at least six inches taller than modern humans.
The finding
What the evidence shows
New 2026 research on two Denisovan leg bones from Taiwan estimates heights of about 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 2 inches. That is taller than most people of their era, but only a couple of inches above the typical modern man at about 5 feet 9 inches, and it rests on just two individuals. Before this, Denisovan height was essentially unknown because so few bones exist. A study estimating Denisovan height at six or more inches above the modern average would flip this verdict.
Read the supporting source · archaeology.org ↗Quick answer & review status
Quick answer
Is it true that Denisovans were at least six inches taller than modern humans?
Partly. The claim stretches what the evidence shows. New 2026 research on two Denisovan leg bones from Taiwan estimates heights of about 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 2 inches. That is taller than most people of their era, but only a couple of inches above the typical modern man at about 5 feet 9 inches, and it rests on just two individuals. Joe Rogan said it (matched by voice) on Joe Rogan Experience #2563 - Dan Richards, aired Oct 8, 2026, at 1:02:34. The supporting source is archaeology.org, linked below.
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