Other Science Facts

The BBC reports:

Ancient humans started down the path of evolving into two separate species before merging back into a single population, a genetic study suggests.

The genetic split in Africa resulted in distinct populations that lived in isolation for as much as 100,000 years, the scientists say.

That's one possibility, anyway; the reporter adds that "other scenarios could also account for the data." The paper, published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, is available here.



[Via The Art of the Possible.]

Comments

Episiarch | May 13, 2008, 5:16pm | #

Boojie Boy is the greatest.

Rick Barton | May 13, 2008, 5:30pm | #

Perfect vid link, Jesse!

shrike | May 13, 2008, 5:42pm | #

More Red v. Blue?

More Neanderthal v. 'homo sapiens'?

Us v. Them? (thanks, Pink Floyd)

Our genes make us fight!

Freud nailed it..."Anatomy is Destiny"!

Andy | May 13, 2008, 5:49pm | #

I've long held that one of the more interesting sci-fi concepts is that of different species of humanoids with different levels of intellect. Would it have legitimized discrimination based on genetics? Would it have made people less racist towards other homo sapiens? What would it have done to religion/the soul?

Kolohe | May 13, 2008, 5:58pm | #

Andy-
I believe it is evolutionary inevitablity that any given planet will only wind up with a single sentient terrastrial species. One will always destroy the other.

Rick Barton | May 13, 2008, 6:03pm | #

Other Science Facts

Nice Mystery Science Theater 3000 theme song ref!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcUkKltAidM

Erÿk Boston, J.D. | May 13, 2008, 6:59pm | #

Anyone who has been to Harvard Square on a Saturday evening...

Rick Barton | May 13, 2008, 7:10pm | #

Anyone who has been to Harvard Square on a Saturday evening...

I have. What?

BakedPenguin | May 13, 2008, 7:30pm | #

Wow. Pre-flower pot Devo. Also, pre-worth listening to Devo.

At the time of the split - some 150,000 years ago - our species, Homo sapiens, was still confined to the African continent.

That's interesting. I thought we didn't become homo sapiens until about 25,000 years ago.

BakedPenguin | May 13, 2008, 7:54pm | #

Nice Mystery Science Theater 3000 theme song ref!

I just watched Swamp Diamonds, yet still missed that.

matthew hogan | May 13, 2008, 8:45pm | #

one of the more interesting sci-fi concepts is that of different species of humanoids

I don't think that's sci-fi, didn't that happen with Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons, multi multi milennia ago?

Rick Barton | May 13, 2008, 9:29pm | #

BakedPenguin,

I didn't catch it right away. What's "Swamp Diamonds"?

vanya | May 13, 2008, 9:39pm | #

I've long held that one of the more interesting sci-fi concepts is that of different species of humanoids with different levels of intellect.

Harry Turtledove wrote a series of stores with that premise - that the Americas were only inhabited by homo erectus so the history of European colonization took a very different turn.

BakedPenguin | May 13, 2008, 11:05pm | #

Rick - it was a "Joel" episode. Swamp Diamonds was a Roger Corman movie, so you know they had a good time.

Rick H. | May 14, 2008, 1:22am | #

All dance the poot.

Wow. Pre-flower pot Devo. Also, pre-worth listening to Devo.

Damn, that's wrong. Their first two albums (and the earlier singles and unreleased material) are just amazing. This video is from around the peak of the band's creativity.

I'll bet you prefer stuff like that new band Parcheesi.

shecky | May 14, 2008, 2:08am | #

Heh, "The Men Who Make The Music" videocassette was in constant rotation in my house with my kids, now 11 and 13. They know all those songs and bizarre bits my memory. It really was the peak of the band's creativity, IMO. It must be remembered when those videos were made to truly appreciate their charm and innovation.

R C Dean | May 14, 2008, 7:58am | #

I believe it is evolutionary inevitablity that any given planet will only wind up with a single sentient terrastrial species.

Intelligent/tool-using species, maybe. Sentient, not so much.

ThinkPositive | May 14, 2008, 8:02am | #

It is likely that humans will yet evolve in different directions and one of the branches will outlast the others. Corrupt.org

technomist | May 14, 2008, 10:05am | #

Yeah, the Swedes will inherit the earth

SugarFree | May 14, 2008, 10:42am | #

Ah, corrupt.org. The blog that has glowing praise for "eco-warrior" Prince Philip and his views on overpopulation, a charmer who gets off lines like:

"In the event that I am reincarnated, I would like to return as a deadly virus, in order to contribute something to solve overpopulation."

-Prince Philip, in his Foreword to If I Were an Animal; United Kingdom, Robin Clark Ltd., 1986.

zoltan | May 14, 2008, 7:46pm | #

Obviously Prince Philip isn't willing to die for his cause. I mean, that's all he needs to do to support it.