Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: PatrickHenry
Good point! However, the Neanderthals were much more closely related to Homo sapiens than were Homo erectus, and it seems more likely that they could've exchanged genes without leaving much of an imprint. To quote wikipedia:

It is generally accepted that both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens evolved from earlier "archaic" Homo sapiens, but the classification of Neanderthals depends on when in the timeline these modern humans are considered a separate species from the "archaic" forms.

So, it may in theory be the case that they were similar enough from a genomic standpoint that we haven't been able to distinguish the admixture. But more likely not! I'm quite skeptical of the idea myself. If so, where did all the distinctive Neanderthal features go? Stated differently, how could all the progeny bear such a remarkably indistinguishable resemblance to other Homo sapiens?

And the differences between Homo erectus and Homo sapiens makes the differences with Neanderthal seem downright trivial. Brain capacity alone: Homo erectus had 75% that of Homo sapiens. So, if they mated, where did all the retard hybrids go?? :)

64 posted on 04/25/2005 4:29:02 AM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies ]


To: AntiGuv
Here's an interesting article about Homo-Erectus in Georgia: Stranger In A New Land, that are 1.75 milliom year old. The Chinese claim to have Homo-Erectus skeletons (with tools) that are 2.25 million years old (unsubstanciated).

Now, I saw a program about the 'Hobbits' on Flores and they were speculating that they are Homo-Erectus however, they found 80k year old shell necklaces at the site. Homo-Erectus wasn't suppose to have the brain capacity for making necklaces.

Also, I've read that the brain size of Cro-Magnon Man was larger than modern humans. And, someone mentioned on another thread that Homo-Erectus and Neanderthal had larger brains too but, I suspect this is incorrect.

75 posted on 04/25/2005 7:26:45 AM PDT by blam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson