Sciencegasm

Undertoad · 06-11-2010, 09:40 AM

I had one recently from this bloggingheads.tv session.

It turns out that what we know about Neanderthals is increasing rapidly because they are now studying the DNA - and it's revolutionizing the field of paleontology. Remember the map of ancient human movement, well Neanderthals separated from that group really early on, and moved to Eastern Europe, where they evolved separately.

- We now know that humans and Neanderthals mated

and 1 - 4% of our genes match Neanderthal genes. (It may be that the Neanderthals didn't die out, but were absorbed into the rest of the human population!)

- Humans separated from Neanderthals about 460,000 years ago. All humans and all Neanderthals share maternal DNA from that point.

- It used to be that a Neanderthal fossil wasn't really interesting if there wasn't enough there. Maybe you find a complete set of bones, but maybe you find only a tooth. Well, now, you get the genetic material out of the tooth and you can find out more.

- For example, all Neanderthals had type O blood. Also, red hair. This is stuff that couldn't be developed from fossils.

- Neanderthals varied from each other, less than modern humans vary from each other.

- The computers sequence all the genomes they can find, so some of the stuff you'll get is from the soil, from bacteria, etc. One time there was a forensic case in Germany where one type of DNA kept coming up. It turned out to be the DNA of a woman who worked in the cotton swab factory.

- Drill a hole into the earth at any random place in the world, give your sample to the computers to figure out, and chances are you'll find Wooly Mammoth DNA!

- It's really hard to figure out what one particular gene does. One way to figure it out is to put the gene into a mouse and see what happens. (Aha, the mouse is a redhead - thus, this gene prevents the enzymes/proteins that color the hair in such-n-such way.)

Pie · 06-11-2010, 12:53 PM

.

BigV · 06-11-2010, 12:59 PM

Clone?

Undertoad · 06-11-2010, 01:31 PM

I didn't want to bump the thread started by she who must not be mentioned.

BigV · 06-11-2010, 01:47 PM

:P

tw · 06-11-2010, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pie

How scientists see the world.

From the NY Times of 10 Jun 2010:

Quote:

Vladimir Arnold Dies at 72; Pioneering Mathematician
Dr. Arnold had an unusual approach when he got stuck on a problem. Writing in the Russian online newspaper Gazeta.ru, his former students Askold Khovanskii and Yuli Ilyashenko recalled that Dr. Arnold would ski for 25 miles or more, wearing nothing more than swim trunks.

BigV · 06-11-2010, 06:18 PM

you mean, in contrast to how scientists see the world, how the world see scientists?

or is this a comment as to the perils of speedo-skiiing: pnemonia?

tw · 06-12-2010, 03:55 PM

Dumb brain or numb body. Create one to not have the other.

Flint · 06-14-2010, 09:34 AM

I've always been fascinated by how our old, old verbally handed down stories have races of giants etc. and other human-type things, and how our scientific findings are telling us that there were in fact MANY types of "people" things around simultaneous-ish to us. Can we "remember" that? Did we "mix" with them? Tolkien suggests that the races of "Middle Earth" are still alive, diluted in the blood of modern day man.

spudcon · 06-14-2010, 08:37 PM

Psst. Tolkein's middle earth was fiction.

Flint · 06-14-2010, 08:58 PM

OMG really?

Pete Zicato · 06-15-2010, 09:26 AM

Tolkien was also a professor of English who specialized in Old English and the origins of the language.

Spexxvet · 06-15-2010, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

I've always been fascinated by how our old, old verbally handed down stories have races of giants etc. and other human-type things, and how our scientific findings are telling us that there were in fact MANY types of "people" things around simultaneous-ish to us. Can we "remember" that? Did we "mix" with them? Tolkien suggests that the races of "Middle Earth" are still alive, diluted in the blood of modern day man.

Check out this show.

classicman · 06-15-2010, 09:59 AM

or this thread

Flint · 06-22-2010, 10:33 AM

Just started streaming Netflix through my Wii, first movie I watched was Quest For Fire.

06-11-2010, 09:40 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Sciencegasm I had one recently from this bloggingheads.tv session. It turns out that what we know about Neanderthals is increasing rapidly because they are now studying the DNA - and it's revolutionizing the field of paleontology. Remember the map of ancient human movement, well Neanderthals separated from that group really early on, and moved to Eastern Europe, where they evolved separately. - We now know that humans and Neanderthals mated and 1 - 4% of our genes match Neanderthal genes. (It may be that the Neanderthals didn't die out, but were absorbed into the rest of the human population!) - Humans separated from Neanderthals about 460,000 years ago. All humans and all Neanderthals share maternal DNA from that point. - It used to be that a Neanderthal fossil wasn't really interesting if there wasn't enough there. Maybe you find a complete set of bones, but maybe you find only a tooth. Well, now, you get the genetic material out of the tooth and you can find out more. - For example, all Neanderthals had type O blood. Also, red hair. This is stuff that couldn't be developed from fossils. - Neanderthals varied from each other, less than modern humans vary from each other. - The computers sequence all the genomes they can find, so some of the stuff you'll get is from the soil, from bacteria, etc. One time there was a forensic case in Germany where one type of DNA kept coming up. It turned out to be the DNA of a woman who worked in the cotton swab factory. - Drill a hole into the earth at any random place in the world, give your sample to the computers to figure out, and chances are you'll find Wooly Mammoth DNA! - It's really hard to figure out what one particular gene does. One way to figure it out is to put the gene into a mouse and see what happens. (Aha, the mouse is a redhead - thus, this gene prevents the enzymes/proteins that color the hair in such-n-such way.)

06-11-2010, 12:53 PM	#2
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	. Attached Images __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

06-11-2010, 12:59 PM	#3
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Clone? __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

06-11-2010, 01:47 PM	#5
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	:P __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

06-11-2010, 06:18 PM	#7
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	you mean, in contrast to how scientists see the world, how the world see scientists? or is this a comment as to the perils of speedo-skiiing: pnemonia? __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

06-11-2010, 01:31 PM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I didn't want to bump the thread started by she who must not be mentioned.

06-12-2010, 03:55 PM	#8
tw Read? I only know how to write. Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 11,933	Dumb brain or numb body. Create one to not have the other.

06-14-2010, 09:34 AM	#9
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I've always been fascinated by how our old, old verbally handed down stories have races of giants etc. and other human-type things, and how our scientific findings are telling us that there were in fact MANY types of "people" things around simultaneous-ish to us. Can we "remember" that? Did we "mix" with them? Tolkien suggests that the races of "Middle Earth" are still alive, diluted in the blood of modern day man. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-14-2010, 08:37 PM	#10
spudcon Beware of potatoes Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 2,078	Psst. Tolkein's middle earth was fiction. __________________ "I believe that being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable."

06-14-2010, 08:58 PM	#11
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	OMG really? __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-15-2010, 09:26 AM	#12
Pete Zicato Turns out my CRS is a symptom of TMB. Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 2,916	Tolkien was also a professor of English who specialized in Old English and the origins of the language. __________________ Talk nerdy to me.

06-15-2010, 09:59 AM	#14
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	or this thread __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

06-22-2010, 10:33 AM	#15
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Just started streaming Netflix through my Wii, first movie I watched was Quest For Fire. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

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