You, yes you, are part neanderthal

[Scott_Lafrance]

If Neanderthals were capable of mating with Homo Sapiens and producing fertile offspring, then Neanderthals were every bit as human as Homo Sapiens, and the physical differences were of no greater import than the physical differences between a Nigerian and a Swede today, or a collie and a German shepherd, for that matter.

Ya, reopens the discussion about how to classify them. They were considered a subspecies of homo sapiens, but some brilliant scientist said NO, They are their own species, and had them reclassified as homo neadertalensis. Now, it appears, he was wrong. How novel.

 

[bellasbane]

Despite the artists’ inclination to portray Neanderthals as ape-like, I have read opinions of anthropologists that if one met a Neanderthal in northern Europe, (and perhaps elsewhere) dressed in modern clothes and properly barbered, a person would not find him particularly remarkable other than the fact that he had a rather robust physiognomy.

You mean like these guys?

http://moviecapper.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/geico-cavemen.jpg

 

[antonivs]

You mean like these guys?

I’ve known some people who look like they could be at least part Neanderthal. Seriously.

 

[samiam1611]

Ya, reopens the discussion about how to classify them. They were considered a subspecies of homo sapiens, but some brilliant scientist said NO, They are their own species, and had them reclassified as homo neadertalensis. Now, it appears, he was wrong. How novel.

Yep, that’s the great thing about science: it is open to correction.

“Any scientific theory is closely tied to empirical findings, and always remains subject to falsification if new experimental observation incompatible with it is found. No theory is ever considered strictly certain as science accepts the concept of fallibilism.”

~Wikipedia (I’m cool like that)

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

Yep, that’s the great thing about science: it is open to correction.

“Any scientific theory is closely tied to empirical findings, and always remains subject to falsification if new experimental observation incompatible with it is found. No theory is ever considered strictly certain as science accepts the concept of fallibilism.”

~Wikipedia (I’m cool like that)

Great! I wonder when they are going to get around to figuring out they are wrong on anthropogenic climate change?

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

I’ve known some people who look like they could be at least part Neanderthal. Seriously.

Dang…you saw my out in my backyard the other day clubbing my dinner? Sad.

At least I am giving new meaning to “going clubbing”

 

[lao_tzu]

news.discovery.com/human/genetics-neanderthal-110718.html

If your heritage is non-African, you are part Neanderthal, according to a new study in the July issue of Molecular Biology and Evolution. Discovery News has been reporting on human/Neanderthal interbreeding for some time now, so this latest research confirms earlier findings.

I’ve been following this story for a while, and it’s been fascinating to watch the sampling and testing methods evolve, as it were, in order to make these results possible. Just a few years ago, it wasn’t possible to extract neanderthal DNA at all, and now we’ve got a draft genome. It should be fun to watch as the story continues to unfold.

As ever, Jesse

 

[kimmielittle]

Great! I wonder when they are going to get around to figuring out they are wrong on anthropogenic climate change?

:thumbsup:

 

[jsaldar]

No wonder I look like one!!!

 

[lao_tzu]

Great! I wonder when they are going to get around to figuring out they are wrong on anthropogenic climate change?

I can think of a better question, with a few changes in pronoun.

 

[LotusCarsLtd]

Doesn’t surprise me much honestly. But its still a cool discovery.

 

[MugenOne]

This Neanderthal looks like a kid who used to date my little sister. He doesn’t look “ape-like” or savage at all. He’s just like a typical kid from your friendly neighborhood.

 

[Arkadin]

Yep, that’s the great thing about science: it is open to correction.

“Any scientific theory is closely tied to empirical findings, and always remains subject to falsification if new experimental observation incompatible with it is found. No theory is ever considered strictly certain as science accepts the concept of fallibilism.”

~Wikipedia (I’m cool like that)

Thank you.

And most scientist would be happy to be proven wrong if the evidence suggests as such. It’s all about being unbiased and open.

It’s easily understandable for two very similar species to interbreed.

Paleoanthropologist Katerina Harvati of the University of Tübingen in Germany, disclosed “Would they have recognized each other as possible mates? We know when closely related primate species meet, they sometimes interbreed in nature, not just in zoos, and this is something we see not just in primates, but with other closely related species among mammals”.

historicmysteries.com/did-neanderthals-mate-with-humans

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

This Neanderthal looks like a kid who used to date my little sister. He doesn’t look “ape-like” or savage at all. He’s just like a typical kid from your friendly neighborhood.

I think the primary differences are that neadertals have a more robust physique, noticable prognathism and broad nostrils. Part of their genetic adaption for the climate they lived in and their environment.

 

[puzzleannie]

This Neanderthal looks like a kid who used to date my little sister. He doesn’t look “ape-like” or savage at all. He’s just like a typical kid from your friendly neighborhood.

looks like the older Ron Weasley

 

[Ahimsa]

It’s quite possible that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens were separate species. Many separate species can interbreed and produce fertile offspring (such as the hybrids of grizzly and polar bears).

 

[Wolseley]

Currently science doesn’t have a clue about human “evolution”. Some finds have “modern” man predating both Neanderthal and Cro Magnon. Two steps forward and one step back - how’s that explained by evolution?

Evolution is a fairy tale for adults.

You mean like these guys?

http://moviecapper.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/geico-cavemen.jpg

No, I think more along the lines of this guy:

http://tv-rusak.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/arnold-schwarzenegger.jpg

 

[psi]

Currently science doesn’t have a clue about human “evolution”. Some finds have “modern” man predating both Neanderthal and Cro Magnon. Two steps forward and one step back - how’s that explained by evolution?

That’s a misunderstanding of how evolution works. Evolution says each population will evolve to adapt to its habitat. It doesn’t say that each population will evolve at the same rate. AND, evolving to adapt doesn’t necessarily mean becoming smarter. Smaller brain size may in some cases be a useful adaptation (if big brain size is too costly in terms of energy for ex.). And finally, recent research suggests that Neanderthals were as smart as modern humans. But again that’s not really relevant.

Monkeys are not less evolved than humans. Monkeys are adapted well to their niche, and we to ours.

We need better science education.

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

looks like the older Ron Weasley

Hermione demands that you take that back! lol

 

[Blacksword]

I’m not telling my wife about this story, then she’ll be convinced that would explain so many things about me! Though the other poster is correct about speciation and interbreeding: it is possible for two separate species to have fertile offspring, albeit rare.