The Swedish geneticist on winning the Nobel prize, his laureate father and early man’s sensitive side
A greyish neanderthal skeleton stands at the door of Svante Pääbo’s office, acting like a doorman to check up on his visitors, who have grown considerably in number since it was announced he was to receive a Nobel prize. It clutches a white party balloon in its left hand and is missing its right lower arm.
“Unfortunately my son broke it off once,” says Pääbo with a chuckle, patting the skeleton’s head.
