The Nobel prize in medicine has been awarded for research on evolution

The winner of this year's prize is a Swedish scientist named Svante Paabo.

The winner was announced by the secretary of the committee at the institute.

The Neanderthals and Denisovans, our closest extinct relatives, were shown to be mixing with modern humans.

The medicine prize was the first to be announced. On Tuesday, the physics prize is followed by chemistry and literature. The economics award and the peace prize will be announced in October.

David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian received medicine last year for their discoveries.

A cash award of 10 million Swedish kronor will be given out on December 10. Alfred Nobel, the inventor of the prize, died in 1895.