Clipmarks | Neanderthals Clips

Neanderthals Didn't Mate With Modern Humans, Study Says

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:22:30 GMT

clipped by: mugofcoffee

Clip Source: news.nationalgeographic.com

Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans likely did not interbreed, according to a new DNA study.

The research further suggests that small population numbers helped do in our closest relatives.

Researchers sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome—genetic information passed down from mothers—of a 38,000-year-old Neanderthal thighbone found in a cave in Croatia. (Get the basics on genetics.)

The new sequence contains 16,565 DNA bases, or "letters," representing 13 genes, making it the longest stretch of Neanderthal DNA ever examined.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is easier to isolate from ancient bones than conventional or "nuclear" DNA—which is contained in cell nuclei—because there are many mitochondria per cell.

the mtDNA genome is much smaller than the nuclear genome,

Neanderthal DNA Sequencing

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:25:49 GMT

clipped by: xpersianx

Clip Source: www.jqjacobs.net

In July of 1997 the first ever sequencing of Neanderthal DNA, a breakthrough in the study of modern human evolution, was announced in the Journal Cell (Krings, et. al., 1997). DNA was extracted for the type specimen and the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence was determined. This sequence was compared to living human mtDNA sequences and found to be outside the range of variation in modern humans. Age estimation of the Neanderthal and human divergence is four times older than the age of the common mtDNA ancestor of all living humans. The authors suggest that the Neanderthals went extinct without contribution to the present mtDNA of modern humans.

The Neanderthals inhabited Europe from about 300,000 to 30,000 years ago. Previous hypotheses that Neanderthals were replaced relied on mtDNA study of existing populations. Directly analyzing the remains of the Neanderthal type specimen has affirmed this view.

The researchers removed a sample from the humerous specimen.

Did Neanderthals Share the "Language Gene" with Homo Sapiens?

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:41:33 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Interesting Read.

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

In a surprising discovery, scientists believe they have found modern man's language gene in the DNA of the extinct race of Neanderthals, raising the possibility that, contrary to the conventional wisdom, Neanderthals may have whiled away the winter with conversation, gossip and debate.

The language gene is shared with only one other species, Homo Sapiens. If true, the Neanderthals may have had their own distinct culture, customs and history.

Professor Svante Paabo, who has been leading the Neanderthal genome project at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, said the presence of the language gene would change the way people view Neanderthals.

The discovery of the gene, called FOXP2, have provided the strongest evidence yet that these heavily built species were capable of speech, although the researchers are unable to say what extent their linguistic ability would have been.

Tags: evolution, language, neanderthals

Complete Neanderthal Mitochondrial Genome Sequenced From 38,000-year-old Bone

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:54:29 GMT

clipped by: shankargallery
clipper's remarks: complete mitochondrial
> genome of a 38,000-year-old Neanderthal has been sequenced.

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

Complete Neanderthal Mitochondrial Genome Sequenced From 38,000-year-old Bone

ScienceDaily (Aug. 8, 2008) — The complete mitochondrial genome of a 38,000-year-old Neanderthal has been sequenced. The findings open a window into the Neanderthals' past and helps answer lingering questions about our relationship to them.

Tags: neanderthal, dna

"Neanderthal Murder Mystery"

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:32:22 GMT

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Clip Source: www.disinfo.com

The Neanderthal Murder Mystery

The mystery of what killed off the Neanderthals about 30,000 years ago comes a step closer to being solved with a study suggesting that they formed a tiny population that had been teetering on the brink of extinction.

Neanderthals first appeared in Europe at least 300,000 years ago but they disappeared after the arrival of anatomically modern humans, Homo sapiens, who first arrived in Europe 50,000 years ago. This has led to speculation about whether the Neanderthals interbred with the new arrivals to form a hybrid population that became submerged in the human gene pool, or were instead wiped out by them, either through competition for resources or by violence.

The latest evidence, an analysis of DNA recovered from a 38,000-year-old fossilised thigh bone, suggests the Neanderthals did not interbreed with modern humans but were eradicated by them.

GO TO FULL STORY >>

The Independent reports:

Tags: t

Neanderthal Mysteries

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:31:22 GMT

clipped by: abailart
clipper's remarks: I am less sure they were wiped out as I have seen people who look like this. (Usually wearing suits)

Clip Source: www.independent.co.uk

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Strands of DNA recovered from the fossilised leg bone of a Neanderthal have shed light on the fragility of the ancient population and pinpointed when they first split from what were to become modern humans. The 38,000-year-old bone was unearthed in a cave in Vindija in Croatia, and has since become part of a landmark project to read the entire genetic sequence of an ancient human ancestor, a feat scientists believe will help reveal how modern humans evolved into the world's dominant species.

Theories of what drove the Neanderthals to extinction range from an inability to adapt to a quickly changing environment, to genocide by early humans. The species is though to have died out in Europe around 30,000 years ago, shortly after the arrival of early humans.

Comparing the Neanderthal genome with the human genetic sequence should highlight subtle genetic differences, such as genes for improved brain capacity and other traits that underpin what it means to be human.

Tags: neanderthal genome

Scientists map Neanderthal maternal DNA

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:46:14 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: 38,000 years wasn't that long ago. They became extinct shortly afterward (as far as we know) after dwindling around Western Europe. It's easy to wonder what may have happened if they were isolated in an area that was free of Homo sapiens sapiens (So smart that we have to repeat it to ourselves to remove any doubt.)

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Jennifer Viegas

DNA extracted from a 38,000-year-old Neanderthal bone has enabled scientists to sequence the complete mitochondrial genome for the human-like species, say scientists.

The remarkable feat, which appears in the journal Cell, has led to at least three major discoveries about the extinct stocky European individuals, representing a breakthrough for studies on the evolution of the human family.

"This is the first complete mitochondrial genome sequence from an extinct hominid,"says lead author Dr Richard Green.

Green, a researcher at the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany

concluded that the Neanderthal mitochondria falls outside the range of variation found in humans today, offering no evidence that interbreeding occurred

Clearer is the fact that Neanderthals and humans split from a common ancestor around 660,000 years ago.

researchers based this initially upon prior research that determined humans and chimpanzees diverged

six to eight million years ago

Where Is Human Evolution Heading?

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:21:07 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: The race's DNA is changing faster than ever; what it means for our descendants

Clip Source: www.usnews.com

If you judge the progress of humanity by Homer Simpson, Paris Hilton, and Girls Gone Wild videos, you might conclude that our evolution has stalled—or even shifted into reverse. Not so, scientists say. Humans are evolving faster than ever before, picking up new genetic traits and talents that may help us survive a turbulent future.

Much remodeling has gone on since the dawn of agriculture about 10 millenniums ago. "People who lived 10,000 years ago were much more like Neanderthals than we are like those people," says John Hawks, a professor of anthropology at the University of Wisconsin. "We've changed."

Hawks is among a growing number of scientists who are using whole-genome sequencing and other modern technologies to zero in on just how we've changed. Their research is helping illuminate not only how humans became what we are but also where we might be headed

Humans will continue to change to cope with new diseases, if history is any guide

Tags: dna, mutations, evolution

Neanderthal

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:57:57 GMT

clipped by: aquafresh

Clip Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Meaning: 'Man from the Neander Valley'.

Lived: 230,000-28,000 years ago.

Range: Europe, Central Asia, Middle East.

Diet: Relied heavily on meat.

Size: M: 166cm / 77kg F: 154cm / 66kg.

Brain Size: 12% larger than a modern brain.

Description

Neanderthals were as formidable as the Ice Age environment they lived in.Their short squat physique was an ideal body shape for conserving heat. But despite their small stature, they had big, powerful muscles - a sign of the demanding lifestyle they led.

They looked out at their harsh world from under a bony ridge that arched across their foreheads. Set in the middle of their long faces was a long projecting nose that distanced the delicate tissues of the brain from the frozen Ice Age air.

They were skilled hunters, cooperating together in hunting parties. Neanderthals exploited the natural landscape to surround their quarry and make a kill at close range. This hunting practice left many Neanderthals with painful injuries.

About Neanderthals

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:08:35 GMT

clipped by: cmayo113
clipper's remarks: Neanderthals coexisted, was a separate species, and died out or was killed off about 35,000 years ago.

Clip Source: www.onelife.com

Homo sapiens neandertalensis lived in Europe and the Mideast between 150,000 and 35,000 years ago. Neandertals coexisted with H.sapiens (archaic) and early H.sapiens sapiens. It is not known whether he was of the same species and disappeared into the H.sapiens sapiens gene pool or he may have been crowded out of existence (killed off) by the H.sapien sapien. Recent DNA studies have indicated that the neandertal was an entirely different species and did not merge into the H. sapiens sapiens gene pool. Brain sizes averaged larger than modern man at about 1450cc but the head was shaped differently, being longer and lower than modern man. His nose was large and was different from modern man in structure. He was a massive man at about 5'6" tall with an extremely heavy skeleton that showed attachments for massive muscles. He was far stronger than modern man. His jaw was massive and he had a receding forehead, like erectus.

Who Was Having Sex with Neanderthals 40,000 Years Ago? DNA Tests Reveal

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:17:38 GMT

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Clip Source: io9.com

A group of Italian researchers published a new study today in PLoS One comparing the DNA from early human bones from about 28,000 years ago with DNA Neanderthal bones. What's cool about the new study is that the early human bones are quite recently discovered, and therefore very unlikely to have been contaminated by DNA from humans who have handled them.

The researchers sequenced DNA from these bones, testing to see if there was significant overlap with Neanderthal DNA, which would indicate that homo sapiens' DNA had been changed by interbreeding with Neanderthals. Many anthropologists have long believed that the two species interbred because there are a few ancient skulls whose morphology seems to be a perfect blend of human and Neanderthal.

A Radicalist View of Conservative Mindset

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:17:55 GMT

clipped by: DrCat2013
clipper's remarks: For entertainment purposes only

Clip Source: dailykos.com

The conservative mind

It must be really scary to be a conservative. To be one, you must live in constant fear of terrorists nuking the United States, of gay people on the verge of convincing you that you really enjoy sodomy, of Spanish becoming the official language of the United States next week, of every African-American voting seven or eight times in the next election, of radical Islam suddenly becoming the latest hip thing among kids across the country, of perpetual lesbian orgies in girls bathrooms in high schools across America, of liberals forcing everyone to become a vegan, of Christians being rounded up into concentration camps, and of Democrats outlawing private property if they were to ever take power again.

They do live in a state of fear, and what's more, they want everyone else to join them hiding under their bed, in their pool of urine.

Oh, they'll talk tough. They'll bluster and pound their chests like the neanderthals they are.

Neanderthals Were High-Tech For Their Era

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:31:17 GMT

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Clip Source: www.livescience.com

Neanderthals Were High-Tech For Their Era

By Jeanna Bryner, Senior Writer

posted: 23 June 2008 05:59 pm ET

Neanderthal tools found in England suggest our early human relatives hunted with blades and spear tips that were pretty sophisticated, rivaling those made by modern humans, a new analysis suggests.

The research, however, has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Neanderthals inhabited the plains of Europe and parts of Asia as far back as 230,000 years ago. They disappeared from the fossil record more than 20,000 years ago, a few thousand years after modern humans appeared on the scene.

Researcher Matthew Pope, an archaeologist at the University College London, and his colleagues examined stone tools from a site first discovered in 1900 during the construction of a monumental house known as Beedings in West Sussex, England.

"The tools

are technologically advanced

and potentially older than tools in Britain belonging to our own species, Homo sapiens," Pope said.

Tags: science

Last Neanderthals Were Smart, Sophisticated

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:15:48 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: The seventies, some would argue, were about being smart and sophisticated. Some would argue that we have been heading for extinction since then.

Clip Source: dsc.discovery.com

No Simple Life

June 23, 2008 -- Neanderthals were hardly a weak group just before their extinction around 30,000 years ago, suggests new research. On the contrary, Britain's last Neanderthals had sophisticated weapons and lived in strategic spots, demonstrating impressive command of their territory.

Archaeologists analyzing 180 flint tools and weapons, which survived an original collection of 2,300 artifacts found in 1900 at a site called Beedings near Pulborough, England, have traced them to the Neanderthals, according to an announcement made today by the University College London Institute of Archeology.

The discoveries were also recently reported in British Archeology magazine.

"The tools we've found at the site are technologically advanced and potentially older than tools in Britain belonging to our own species," said UCL's Matthew Pope.

Tags: after, the, rise, comes, ..........

Little arrow that rewrites history books

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:25:15 GMT

clipped by: invictus

Clip Source: www.pretorianews.co.za

Two researchers from Wits University believe that what they have discovered is a 60 000-year-old arrow that was fired from the earliest known bow. Their discovery has pushed back the origins of bow-and-arrow technology by 20 000 years.

The bow, probably made of wood and long since decayed, was used at a time when Neanderthals in Europe were using large spears in duels with woolly mammoths and other large prehistoric game.

The bone arrow, just 5cm long, was excavated by Wadley at the Sibudu cave, near the coastal town of Ballito in KwaZulu Natal, two years ago.

It's mystery who the people were who fashioned the arrow.

Also at this time, humankind was leaving an ever-increasing archaeological record of the first inklings of modern human behaviour. They were burying the dead, using coloured pigments and wearing jewellery.

"This at a time a few thousand years before they walked out of Africa, to become the ancestors of all humans," said Backwell.

Tags: archaeology, anthropology, south africa, prehistory, arrow, science