Clipmarks | pokkets's 'human' clips

Neanderthal-human hybrid 'a myth'

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:59:59 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Jennifer Viegas

Did modern humans interbreed with Neanderthals and, if so, did the mating result in a half-human, half-Neanderthal hybrid?

This 29,000 year old skull belonged to a hominid with slightly heavier eyebrows than an average person. But this is not enough to convince anthropologists it's evidence of a human-Neanderthal hybrid

The answer is possibly 'yes' to the interbreeding but 'no' to the hybrid, according to the authors of a new study that is already making waves among anthropologists.

At the centre of the study, published online in the Journal of Human Evolution, and the current debate, is a 29,000 year old Romanian skull that is one of the oldest fossils in Europe with modern human features

But those features aren't quite a perfect match with us, which has led some experts to suspect it was a cross between a Neanderthal and a modern human

That's not so, according to study leader Dr Katerina Harvati

"It differs from living people

within the range of modern human variation,"

Tags: human, neanderthal, myth, ancestry

Man in moon 4 billion years old

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:52:37 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

The plains of solidified lava that give the moon its quirky human-like face were created more than 4 billion years ago, a new study says.

Lunar volcanoes spewed out lava that eventually solidified into the dark plains that early skywatchers mistook for a face

The evidence comes from an unearthly silvery-grey stone that was blasted off from the face of the moon, perhaps by an impacting asteroid, and was then captured by earth's gravity, prompting it to fall to ground in Botswana.

An international team of researchers publish their study today in the journal Nature.

In 1999, local people near the village of Kuke, in the grasslands of the Kalahari Nature Reserve, found the 13.5 kilogram remnant of this roving rock.

Scientists have since confirmed that the rock, named Kalahari 009, came from the moon.

A new analysis of fragments of phosphate in Kalahari 009 puts the rocks at the whopping old age of 4.35 billion years, give or take 150 million years, the study says.

Tags: man, moon, asteroid, astronomy, human, face

Fisheries producing smaller less fertile fish

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 07:56:32 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Karin Strohecker

Industrial-scale fisheries have changed fish evolution, exacerbating the effect of overfishing by producing smaller and less fertile fish,

Dr Ulf Dieckmann, from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria, and co-authors write a commentary on managing fish stocks today in the journal Science.

Dieckmann also says that overfishing and the practice of throwing lower quality fish back into the sea to raise the value of fishing quotas might explain the massive drop in population

"Human activity had a possibly irreversible evolutionary effect in just a few generations," he says

"We are running up a Darwinian debt that future generations will have to pay back."

Looking at fishery data from the past few decades, the scientists found that increased mortality due to overfishing has favoured fish that mature smaller and earlier, yet also carry far fewer eggs at their first reproduction.

"The question is not whether such evolution will occur, but how fast

Tags: fish, fishing, evolution, human, intervention

Animals with Expression-and attitude

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 06:49:26 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: Some of them look almost human,and nearly as weird, some of them just have a different number of legs. I probably got carried away with the pictures, but couldn't choose, and aren't really sure if there can be too many pictures.

Clip Source: fun.blogonline.ru

Tags: animals, funny, photos, weird, expression, human, attitude

CNN Takes stock of a 'Planet in Peril'

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:37:23 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: They worked out global warming would reduce viewers, The 'real' media is starting to take this more seriously. If there is a message, take it to where people are watching. We're all going to have to make 'lifestyle' changes whether we like it or not. The longer things are left the less choice we'll have. It will involve everybody. There can also be stories of the successes. We know about the problem now we've got to start using many of the answers that can help.

Clip Source: www.mail.com

By FRAZIER MOORE

It's a tough world, all right. Too bad it's not tougher. Right now Earth is looking pretty fragile as it suffers from increasing human punishment.

This isn't really news, of course. But CNN has packed the two-night, four-hour "Planet in Peril" with information and images that give a familiar story new urgency. Here is an eye-opening, often heart-wrenching exploration.

Airing Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 p.m. EDT, "Planet in Peril" dispatched correspondents Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, as well as Animal Planet wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin, to report on far-flung instances of "environmental change." This term encompasses

four key areas: climate change, vanishing natural habitats, disappearing species and human overpopulation.

By taking on so much, the series risks becoming a catchall bin of environmental woes.

"At first glance, it may seem unfocused," said executive producer Charlie Moore. "But those are the four pillars.

and they're all interconnected.

Tags: planet, peril, environment, cnn, earth, human

Neanderthals hard-wired to talk

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 02:00:19 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: The first specific nuclear gene variant retrieved is one that prior studies have linked to language and speech in humans and suggests Neanderthals had the capacity to develop speech.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Jennifer Viegas

Neanderthals may not be known for their intellectual might, but they were among the first individuals to bury their dead and express themselves artistically, new research shows.

Neanderthals and humans both have a gene variant that enables language. So does this redefine what it means to be human?

A new study of Neanderthal DNA published online in the journal Current Biology, suggests Neanderthals also had the ability to create language.

The finding hinges upon a single, yet critical, gene called FOXP2, which prior studies have linked to language and speech.

Most birds, mammals and even fish retain a version of this gene, but only humans and Neanderthals share a variant form of it that is believed to enable language.

"So from the point of this gene, there is no reason to think that Neanderthals did not have language as we do," says lead author Johannes Krause

He adds that the find also represents "the first time a specific nuclear gene [has been] retrieved from Neanderthals".

Tags: neanderthal, human, speech, language, talk, art, gene, dna

Early Humans ate seafood at beach parties

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:20:13 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Will Dunham

For early humans, one of the first displays of modern behaviour was a sort of beach party and seafood feast along the coast of South Africa, scientists say.

Artefacts found in a cave on coastal cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean suggest that people 164,000 years ago led much more sophisticated lives than anyone thought.

Scientists say these early humans would have cooked mussels and other shellfish, used red pigment perhaps as body paint and made small stone blades that could be used at the tip of a spear.

The earliest previous evidence for people using marine resources and coastal habitats was from 125,000 years ago, say the scientists who publish their findings today in the journal Nature.

And the previous earliest evidence for tools like the small, thin stone blades found at the site dates to 70,000 years ago, the researchers say.

these findings "provide strong evidence that early humans displayed key elements of modern behaviour" 164,000 years ago.

Tags: human, coast, behavior, science, anthropology, ochre, seafood, food, habitation

Fidos logic changes when he's home alone

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 04:34:42 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: Dogs tend to be more logical when their owners aren't around- "
You Know you're not allowed on the Bed when I'm out, Why don't you do what you're told ?"
Because the bed is comfortable, and warm ?.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Jennifer Viegas

Ever wonder what your dog does when you aren't around? The answer might surprise you. A new study shows our canine companions behave more logically

People exert a strong influence on canine choices, it seems, and not always for the better

Dogs are so attuned to our actions, they will sometimes abandon logic entirely to please us. But abandoning reason for obedience may serve our pets well in the end

"I do not think that domestication made dogs less intelligent," says

Agnes Erdohegyi

"On the contrary, dogs seem to show special sophistication in understanding social situations

However, it is true that focusing on the human ... sometimes leads to erroneous behaviour."

The dogs displayed a type of logic called "inferential reasoning" when not influenced by the experimenters, meaning they made deductions and solved problems immediately, as opposed to acting on training or copying the behaviours of others

children

end up using inefficient strategies

are so attuned to what adults do".

Tags: dog, home, behavion, learning, training, logic, human, children

The Human Brain - Ask an expert

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 06:18:55 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: There are two more questions. They are some of the most frequently asked questions asked about the brain. There are some answers, there are also theories and models, which can show how far we have got in trying to explain something so complicated.. There are some things we do not know yet, and some we may never know, but it never hurts to ask. Someone might come up with another idea.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

What happens inside our heads when we think? How do we learn and form memories, and can we improve our minds? Or are we limited by the way our brains behave? We’re calling for all your thought-provoking questions on that miracle of evolution, the human brain. The most intriguing and frequently asked questions were put to a panel of experts. Now on to their answers

Why do you reckon the way you do? Read the answers.

Q1. Why do we know so little about how anti-epileptic drugs actually work? »read answer

Q2. What are dreams and why do they occur? »read answer

Q3. How is the brain affected in people diagnosed with bipolar disorder? »read answer

Q4. Can study delay dementia? »read answer

Q5. How does sleep improve our memory? »read answer

Q6. Is it possible for us to improve the performance of our brains? »read answer

Q7. Will it ever be possible to clone a person's mind? »read answer

Q8. How does our mind function and store experiences? »read answer

Tags: human, brain, function, mind, thinking, memory.

Inside the human brain

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:50:19 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Toward the base is the Cerebral aqueduct. If you see a diagram of your brain with aqueduct spelt with an "a" ie aquaduct, you may be a wishy washy person. (sorry, couldn't help myself.)

Clip Source: health.howstuffworks.com

Every animal you can think of -- mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians -- all have brains. But the human brain is unique. It gives us the power to think, plan, speak, imagine... Find out all about this amazing organ.... Learn more »

Tags: human, body

Strange Things Do Happen At Full Moon

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:34:21 GMT

clipped by: debbyski

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

Recently BBC News reported that some British police departments have decided to add extra officers on nights with a full moon.

The concern isn't over werewolves or vampires—no need to issue silver bullets or wooden stakes—but more human threats such as petty thieves and violent criminals.

For years, some who work in police and emergency services (such as doctors and nurses) have anecdotally claimed that full moon nights are busier, crazier, and more dangerous than nights when the moon is dim. This perception may be rooted more in psychology than reality.

There is a good reason why there may be more crime on the nights of a full moon; it has to do with statistics, not lunacy. People are more active during full moons than moonless nights. An especially beautiful full moon may draw families out into the night to appreciate it, and lovers to local necking spots. Muggers and other criminals who ply their trade at night also use the moon's illumination to carry out their dirty deeds.

Tags: moon, strange, behavior, human

Lonely? Your immune system is in overdrive.

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 04:06:43 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Maggie Fox

Lonely people's immune systems go haywire, so no wonder they are more likely to get sick and die young, researchers say.

They used a gene chip to look at the DNA of isolated people and found that people who describe themselves as chronically lonely have distinct patterns of genetic activity, almost all of it involving the immune system.

The study does not show which came first: the loneliness or the physical traits.

"What this study shows is that the biological impact of social isolation reaches down into some of our most basic internal processes: the activity of our genes," Cole says.

"We have known for years that there is this epidemiological relationship between social support - how many friends and family members you have around you - and a whole bunch of physical outcomes."

Some 200 genes controlling lonely people's immune systems seemed to be active

All 22,000 human genes were studied and compared, and 209 stood out in the loneliest people.

Tags: lonliness.depression, gene, human, immune, system, people

Human Genome - A photo journey

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 08:44:53 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: With each picture, there is a link that has a further explanation of the titles.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Join us as we trace the history of one of the biggest scientific accomplishments of the twentieth century; the mapping of the human genome from the discovery of DNA to the cracking of the code that contains every gene and its function in the human body.

Take the photo journey

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Tags: human, gene, genome, photo, chromasone, dna, research, mapping

New fossils rewrite human family tree

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 04:14:05 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

The discovery of two fossils has challenged the belief that our ancestors Homo erectus evolved from Homo habilis, according to a new study.

The Homo erectus skull described today is the smallest of its species ever found. This Kenyan skull is shown here with a much larger skull from the same species

The finds, on the eastern bank of Lake Turkana in Kenya, suggests that the two species may in fact have co-existed for some 50,000 years in East Africa.

The international team publishes its work today in the journal Nature.

One of the fossils was an upper jaw bone of H. habilis that dates back to 1.44 million years ago. It was nevertheless more recent than any of the previously found fossils of its kind.

The second was a remarkably well preserved skull of H. erectus, which paradoxically dates back even further, to some 1.55 million years ago.

The recent discovery of the two fossils

challenges the presumed evolutionary time line of the species: H. habilis to H. erectus to H. sapiens

Tags: human, homo erectus, homo habilis, evolution, fossil, ancestor

Neanderthal brain spared schizoprenia.

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:37:41 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: Not much consolation, still they weren't as likely to get depressed about it

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Jennifer Viegas

Neanderthals probably did not possess the cognitive complexities of modern humans so did not suffer from schizophrenia and certain other mental disorders, according to a new theory.

The theory proposes that language, creativity and many mental diseases are linked, due to the fact that they may originate in the neocortex, as well as the densely cell-packed cortex, located towards the top of the brain.

These brain regions appear to mature and develop more slowly than other areas.

Modern humans, on the other hand, must take the good with the bad.

"Also, because of the long maturation time, environmental factors have more time to exert modifying influences on the final outcome."

if our brains stopped being modified at age 5, then "we would not have such well-developed language and we would likely not have so much schizophrenia"

he thinks a gene pair, named protocadherin XY, "is a determinant of cerebral asymmetry and is responsible for the transition to modern Homo sapiens".

Tags: neanderthal, brain, cortex, language, schizophrenia, gene, human, homo sapiens