PBS Nova - Homo sapiens and Neanderthals interbred in the distant past

[LastDemocratInSC]

Nova - wonderful, as always - is broadcasting a program on how Homo sapiens and Neanderthals might have interbred in the distant past. This was long considered impossible but recent evidence, as shown tonight, is challenging that idea.

I suppose the real issue is what would our lives be like if, today, there was more than one specie of human being on our planet? Well, that's a cerebral idea worthy of consideration but I think that anyone who has gone inside a WalMart at 3:30 AM already knows the answer.

[Spinzonner]

1. Well of course

how else do you explain Republicans

[salvorhardin]

12. No! Neanderthals were peaceful

The Republicans got the double-shot of cro-magnon DNA.

[stepnw1f]

2. Yup.... Freeper Gene Pool (nt)

[sans qualia]

3. More importantly

is this the sort of union of which God would approve?

[clydefrand]

11. Heavens NO! HE told me how much he disapproved

when they did it!


Who do you think Cain took as a wife in the Land of Nod?

Native Neanderthal near the Land of Nod!!!

[Cleita]

19. You really can't believe that.

eom

[Must_B_Free]

4. Probably the ones refrerred to biblically as "giants"

and we all had that guy in highschool nicknamed "Neandrathal" - of course there are some of those genes still in the pool.

[Ladyhawk]

7. Neanderthals were short and stout, but very strong.

And I wish I could see that program. I thought mitochondrial DNA had proven that if Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals had mated, no Neanderthal material made it to present day.

Again...I wish I could see this program. I really enjoy the life sciences.

[bhairava]

16. You are correct, here are some links

I remember the hullabaloo about all this last year here are two links.




http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3023685.stm


http://www.promega.com/profiles/402/ProfilesinDNA_402_09.pdf

[Cleita]

20. Mitochondrial DNA comes down through the female

line. So if Neanderthals had bred with Cro-mags, it wouldn't show up there. I don't think so anyway. Maybe one of our biologists here at DU has a better answer. However, there are ways to trace male lineage DNA and that could be revealing.

[aquart]

5. My Nova doesn't have that. My Nova is sinking Venice.

I like your Nova better.

[DrWeird]

6. How recent is it?

Because the most recent information I've heard on the subject is that we didn't mix as much as hypothesized. As shown by DNA evidence.

[Ladyhawk]

10. Yes, see my post above: mitochondrial DNA.

Perhaps some new information has come to light.

[Ladyhawk]

8. Interestingly, Neanderthals are Homo sapiens, too.

Cro-Magnon: Homo sapiens sapiens
Neanderthal: Homo sapiens neanderthalensis

Same species; different subspecies.

[karlrschneider]

9. The GOP will want a Constitutional Amendment prohibiting this sort of evil

behavior.
:eyes:

[Junkdrawer]

13. But Dubya has proven the Neanderthal bigots were right after all...

:silly:

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. I remember Jean Auel putting this theory out there in her CLAN books

[DELUSIONAL]

15. Extinct humans left louse legacy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3715132.stm

"Some head lice infesting people today were probably spread to us thousands of years ago by an extinct species of early human, a genetics study reveals.

It shows that when our ancestors left Africa after 100,000 years ago, they made direct contact with tribes of "archaic" peoples, probably in Asia.

Lice could have jumped from them on to our ancestors during fights, sex, clothes-sharing or even cannibalism."
-------------------------
Change of topic --
MtDNA --

In the book -- Seven Daughters of Eve -- there is chapter which deals with MtDNA research to determine if modern humans have any Neanderthal MtDNA -- none was found in the samples taken by the author.

--- BUT we are dealing with the reality of people like bush and his supporters who do seem to be a subspecies -- and a backward subspecies.

How do we reconcile -- vastly differently styles of logic -- and lack of empathy and lack of understanding of others found the bush subspecies???

I just feel I have very little in common with the bush subspecies. I am beginning to believe that their behavior isn't due to cultural learning but rather to something much deeper. During the debate it was clear that bush simply didn't comprehend much of what Kerry was saying -- and I've met Freeper types who just don't "get it" -- they have no comprehension of the inter relationship of the whole world -- as in eco-systems etc.

[mmonk]

17. There definitely is

another specie of human beings. They are called homophobic erectis wingnut.

[supernova]

18. Jean Auel postulated as much

in her Earth's Children series (Clan of the Cave Bear, etc.)

The heroine, homo sapiens, gives birth to a "mixed spirits" child with neanderthal blood. As today, the storyline deals with prejudice against people of mixed blood. Interesting.

edit: I hope I get to see this Nova. We're seeing a six-hour special on Broadway: The American Musical. The critics are right; PBS is sucking the life right out of it.