Scientists Finish First Draft Of Neanderthal Genome (NPR)

[eppur_se_muova]

by Christopher Joyce

Morning Edition, February 13, 2009 · Scientists in Germany say they have drawn up a map of about 60 percent of the genetic "letters" in the genome of Neanderthals. The map is expected to shed light not only on what kind of creatures they were, but also what genetic differences allowed humans to leave Neanderthals in the evolutionary dust.

Neanderthals are generally considered to come from the shallow end of the Homo gene pool — an evolutionary experiment that split off from the lineage that led to modern humans and then gave up the ghost about 30,000 years ago.

The new gene map, which is the result of two and a half years spent analyzing a tiny fragment of Neanderthal bone from Croatia, suggests that humans and Neanderthals began to diverge genetically from a common ancestor about 800,000 years ago. The two populations co-existed but were genetically distinct by 300,000 years ago, according to the scientists.

Biologist Svante Paabo led the research team at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany. "What we can now do is look at all those genetic changes on the lineage to us, and divide them up among those that happened before we diverged from Neanderthals and those that happened after," Paabo says.

Because Neanderthals were our closest relative during our evolutionary journey, differences between human and Neanderthal genetics could tell us what genes made us distinctly human. Rick Potts, head of the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian Institution, says scientists will want to look especially hard at genes from the two species that affect brain function.
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more: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100648070

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. This is very exciting! Thank you for the article. nt

[ensho]

2. kick

nt

[gordianot]

3. Their next project should be the GOP genome.

Specifically members of Congress and Bush supporters. Maybe it would be possible to figure out why 22% of the population functions in this manner.

[Lint Head]

5. I think they will discover that the Neanderthal species is not a lost

link but directly related to the existence of Re-Pubic-Rats.
:dem:

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

7. Stop Neanderthal Discrimination!

In a better world we'll cease denigrating extinct species that we don't understand by equating them with the modern, 100% human fuckwits that find their ways into the halls of power.

Huh, kinda funny I felt the same way about chimps when BushCo. was compared to them.

[Birthmark]

4. Nifty.

I'm just interested enough in Neanderthal to wish I was slightly more interested. IOW, I read this kind of stuff, make it point to read more, and forget.

Why does the world have to be so damned, damned interesting?!

[tabatha]

9. This is an old book,

but James Shreeve is an awesome writer.

The Neandertal Enigma. 1995

[LongTomH]

6. I just had a horrible thought!

What if they clone a Neanderthaler - and run him for Congress as a Republican? Yeaaaaghhhhh!!! :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:

Or even for President? AAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

[Orsino]

8. The GOP isn't that progressive.

They'll keep running the same old dinosaurs.

[Orrex]

10. I'll wait for the movie