Human evolution - recent news

[Cypress]

science is a better god to follow

Science is a method of inquiry into the natural world.

Personally, I am fine with the coexistence of religion and science. They are both part of the human experience, and spirituality and reason serve different needs and purposes for humans. I have never been one to believe there is only one way of looking at the world. The Pope, the Catholic Church, and most mainline liberal Protestant denominations have it right - they accept the tenets of evolution and do not feel like it undermines their faith in the spiritual realm.

The problem is when fundamentalists attempt to use religious dogma to undermine knowledge, reason, and science.

[Celticguy]

I guess no one is interested in evolution. Yall talking everything but.
Glad im not a chimpanzee

[Cypress]

The Denisovans: New Finds are Illuminating the Mysterious Ancient Humans

Nestled in foothills of Russia’s Altai Mountains, Denisova Cave has been a research mecca since 2010, when fossil DNA from the site revealed a previously unknown human lineage, now called the Denisovans. Scientists have been working hard to reconstruct the cave’s history, through ongoing excavations as well as new analyses of materials recovered years ago.

First, what everyone wants to know: Yes, they found more human remains. In addition to the four Denisovan specimens (one pinky finger, two adult molars and a baby tooth), the cave has yielded 12 fossils from ancient humans, including teeth, toes, fingers and unclassifiable fragments.

Based on their genomes, proteins and physical appearance, the collection contains four Denisovans, three Neanderthals and one hybrid cross between the two human types. Excavators have also found four more fossils that belong to the Homo genus, but haven’t yet been assigned to a particular human species. Additional DNA sequences, recovered directly from the dirt, suggest the presence of even more individuals.

Sensational Scraps
Finding the fossils was a feat. Well over 100,000 bones have been excavated from Denisova Cave, but most are scraps, no longer than a matchstick, that have been chomped, crushed and eroded over the ages. It’s impossible to say what creatures they came from just by looking. So, Oxford graduate student Samantha Brown subjected thousands of the bones to protein analysis. The method, ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry), can distinguish human collagen (the main protein in bone) from that of other animals, but cannot narrow it down to a particular human type — Neanderthal, Denisovan or modern human. Testing more than 4,500 specimens in two studies, Brown found loads of sheep, mammoth and hyena — and four humans.

Among the bones identified by ZooMS was one labeled “Denisova 11.” This corroded, inch-long splinter was justifiably described as appearing “quite unremarkable” in the original report. But subsequent genomic analysis in 2018 revealed that Den 11 — now more affectionately known as Denny — was the lovechild of a Neanderthal mother and Denisovan father.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cr.../#.XXfb9ihKiUk

[Celticguy]

The Denisovans: New Finds are Illuminating the Mysterious Ancient Humans

Nestled in foothills of Russia’s Altai Mountains, Denisova Cave has been a research mecca since 2010, when fossil DNA from the site revealed a previously unknown human lineage, now called the Denisovans. Scientists have been working hard to reconstruct the cave’s history, through ongoing excavations as well as new analyses of materials recovered years ago.

First, what everyone wants to know: Yes, they found more human remains. In addition to the four Denisovan specimens (one pinky finger, two adult molars and a baby tooth), the cave has yielded 12 fossils from ancient humans, including teeth, toes, fingers and unclassifiable fragments.

Based on their genomes, proteins and physical appearance, the collection contains four Denisovans, three Neanderthals and one hybrid cross between the two human types. Excavators have also found four more fossils that belong to the Homo genus, but haven’t yet been assigned to a particular human species. Additional DNA sequences, recovered directly from the dirt, suggest the presence of even more individuals.

Sensational Scraps
Finding the fossils was a feat. Well over 100,000 bones have been excavated from Denisova Cave, but most are scraps, no longer than a matchstick, that have been chomped, crushed and eroded over the ages. It’s impossible to say what creatures they came from just by looking. So, Oxford graduate student Samantha Brown subjected thousands of the bones to protein analysis. The method, ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry), can distinguish human collagen (the main protein in bone) from that of other animals, but cannot narrow it down to a particular human type — Neanderthal, Denisovan or modern human. Testing more than 4,500 specimens in two studies, Brown found loads of sheep, mammoth and hyena — and four humans.

Among the bones identified by ZooMS was one labeled “Denisova 11.” This corroded, inch-long splinter was justifiably described as appearing “quite unremarkable” in the original report. But subsequent genomic analysis in 2018 revealed that Den 11 — now more affectionately known as Denny — was the lovechild of a Neanderthal mother and Denisovan father.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cr.../#.XXfb9ihKiUk

It has been fascinating to read about all these really old bones popping up north of the Mediterranean.

[Cypress]

It has been fascinating to read about all these really old bones popping up north of the Mediterranean.

The most compelling thing to me is that Neanderthals, Denosivans, and homo sapiens may have been cross-breeding. And the DNA of these primitive human subspecies might be passed onto modern humans.

I personally think there might be a few posters here with at least 30 percent Neanderthal DNA.

[Celticguy]

The most compelling thing to me is that Neanderthals, Denosivans, and homo sapiens may have been cross-breeding. And the DNA of these primitive human subspecies might be passed onto modern humans.

I personally think there might be a few posters here with at least 30 percent Neanderthal DNA.

Yup.

Seems sensible that various of these mutations would be concurrent.

[Jack]

The most compelling thing to me is that Neanderthals, Denosivans, and homo sapiens may have been cross-breeding. And the DNA of these primitive human subspecies might be passed onto modern humans.

I personally think there might be a few posters here with at least 30 percent Neanderthal DNA.

The ones with the Neanderthal DNA seem to be more advanced, so your comment isn't really an insult.

[Eagle_Eye]

You are free to believe that God "created primitive man" as an article of faith.

Scientific evidence, which includes the fossil record, DNA, and genetic evidence clearly indicates that humans evolved from archaic primate ancestors which were not human, into the genus hominid, and finally into the modern species of homo sapiens.

So you are saying that is beyond Gods capability. ROFLMAO

[Mason Melchizedek]

The ones with the Neanderthal DNA seem to be more advanced, so your comment isn't really an insult.

You mean like the Neanderthal,USF?

[Cypress]

The ones with the Neanderthal DNA seem to be more advanced, so your comment isn't really an insult.

"Neanderthal" was, is, and will remain into the foreseeable future a colloquialism for primitive, uncouth, crude, prehistoric.

Most message board dunces do not have the knowledge or interest to be remotely aware of the geographic distribution of Neanderthal DNA, behaviour, anatomy. I believe you are presumably more informed on it than most.

Wrapping up - I consider the "Neanderthal" insult to be a more elegant way of describing rightwing knuckle draggers!

[ThatOwlWoman]

I have no idea what your point is.

The case can easily be made that Republicans, and in particular conservatives, are more likely to be hostile to the science of evolution than others. Quite a few religions/denominations have come to terms with evolution, even if Republicans and conservative religions have not.

How interesting that conservative Xtians and conservative Muslims agree as both reject science in favor of their mythology.

[Cypress]

How interesting that conservative Xtians and conservative Muslims agree as both reject science in favor of their mythology.

Rightwing Christian jihadists and fundamentalist Muslim taliban have a remarkable amount in common when it comes to science, evolution, abortion, women's rights, capital punishment. They are soul mates when you really think about it.

[ThatOwlWoman]

Rightwing Christian jihadists and fundamentalist Muslim taliban have a remarkable amount in common when it comes to science, evolution, abortion, women's rights, capital punishment. They are soul mates when you really think about it.

Yep. You can add to that "Both become enraged at being compared to that other, inferior, religion." lol

[ThatOwlWoman]

"Neanderthal" was, is, and will remain into the foreseeable future a colloquialism for primitive, uncouth, crude, prehistoric.

Most message board dunces do not have the knowledge or interest to be remotely aware of the geographic distribution of Neanderthal DNA, behaviour, anatomy. I believe you are presumably more informed on it than most.

Wrapping up - I consider the "Neanderthal" insult to be a more elegant way of describing rightwing knuckle draggers!

Yet they have found burials of Neanderthals who were given grave items to use in the afterlife, as well as skeletal evidence of healed injuries that indicated that the individuals were cared for by the group rather than just being left to die.

[Bigdog]

I guess no one is interested in evolution. Yall talking everything but.
Glad im not a chimpanzee

Because the thread is merely another racist bigoted liberal hate fest.