Jun 16
JohnGenetics, North America, South America
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Two distinct groups from Asia settled in the New World and not one single migration as suggested by previous genetic studies, experts said Monday after comparing the skulls of early Americans.
Paleoanthropologists from Brazil, Chile and Germany compared the skulls of several dozen Paleoamericans, dating back to the early days of migration 11,000 years ago, with the more recent remains of more than 300 Amerindians.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100614/sc_afp/scienceusanthropologyasia_20100614225117
PLoS ONE hosts the paper.
Apr 21
JohnEvolution, Genetics
A metal pin adorning a military uniform signifies rank; a ring on the left hand’s fourth finger announces matrimony. Most scientists thought that the capability for such symbolic thinking was unique to modern humans, but a new study suggests that it dates back to before the Neandertals.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=neandertal-symbolism
Mar 26
JohnAsia, Eurasia, Genetics
Scientists have identified a previously unknown type of ancient human through analysis of DNA from a finger bone unearthed in a Siberian cave.
The extinct “hominin” (human-like creature) lived in Central Asia between 48,000 and 30,000 years ago.
http://archaeology.about.com/b/2010/03/24/possible-new-hominid-species-identified.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8583254.stm
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=new-hominin-species
Mar 20
JohnAsia, Eurasia, Genetics, Greenland, Oldest
A few tufts of hair frozen in the permafrost of Greenland for more than 4,000 years have allowed scientists to sequence the genome of an ancient human for the first time.
http://www.livescience.com/culture/ancient-human-genome-100210.html
Mar 20
JohnGenetics, Oldest
From the composition of just two human genomes, geneticists have computed the size of the human population 1.2 million years ago from which everyone in the world is descended.
They put the number at 18,500 people, but this refers only to breeding individuals, the “effective” population. The actual population would have been about three times as large, or 55,500.
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/health-and-science/estimate-puts-mankind-s-ancestors-at-18-500-1-2m-years-ago-1.687761
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