Researchers believe it may be possible to construct a complete genome of the Neanderthal.
Debate has raged for years about whether there is any relationship between Neanderthals and modern humans. Some researchers believe Neanderthals, who lived in Europe until about 30-thousand years ago, were simply replaced by early humans. Others argue the two groups may have interbred.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany have been studying Neanderthal DNA and sequencing the genome could shed light on the question.
They say there is also hope for reconstructing the genome of the mammoth and the cave bear.
The findings are published in this week's online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.