Final answer:
The statement in the question is false; Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA is different from that of modern humans. However, there's evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthals, Denisovans, and early modern humans, and a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA is found in modern populations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether it is true or false that scientists found mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from Neanderthal bone to be the same as that of modern humans. According to research on the mitochondrial DNA, it was found to be different from that of modern humans and Neanderthals, indicating a false statement.
However, studies of genomic DNA have suggested that Neanderthals share a common ancestor with another ancient human species, the Denisovans, and there is evidence of interbreeding among Neanderthals, Denisovans, and early modern humans. In fact, modern European and Middle Eastern populations have been found to have between 1 and 4 percent Neanderthal DNA.
Furthermore, the mtDNA of every living person is a modified copy of mitochondrial genes passed down from the Mitochondrial Eve, indicating a common ancestor from about 100,000-200,000 years ago. This ancestral link reinforces the Out of Africa theory, which proposes that Homo sapiens first developed in Africa and then spread across the globe.