Posted on 12/21/2008 9:45:20 AM PST by BGHater
Neanderthals may have died out because their bodies overheated as the Earth grew warmer, according to new research.
Analysis of DNA obtained from Neanderthal remains has revealed key differences from modern humans that suggest their bodies produced excess heat.
While in the cold climate of an ice age this would have provided the species with an advantage, as the earth warmed they would have been less able to cope. Ultimately this would have caused their extinction around 24,000 years ago.
Scientists at Newcastle University have put forward the theory after examining a particular form of genetic material which was obtained from the fossilised bones of Neanderthals.
By comparing it with that found in modern humans, they discovered that Neanderthals had key differences in the sections responsible for producing energy in all living cells.
Professor Patrick Chinnery, a neurogeneticist at Newcastle University, believes the differences in this mitochondrial DNA could have caused Neanderthals to be inefficient at producing energy, meaning their cells leaked heat.
He said: "The question is why did Neanderthals disappear? There are lots of explanations to do with changes in climate and the food supply.
"Differences in these mitochondrial DNA sequences might explain why modern humans were able to survive while Neanderthals were not.
"We compared mitochondrial DNA sequences from Neanderthals that have been obtained by other researchers with a huge database of human sequences from around the world to see how different it was from modern humans.
"We found a number of differences within a certain part of the mitochondrial DNA that were quite unlike anything we see in modern humans.
"It is difficult to get a definitive answer, as it is rather like looking through a misty window. We can only get clues to what went on."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
BUSH’S FAULT.
You're right!
I heard if you age progress any human, gravity will pull the bone structure down to look like a neanderthal. After 969 years what do you think Methuselah looked like? Pelosi?
That statement is illogical. If they "leaked heat" then they should have been more susceptible to cold. An animal survives cold by retaining heat. Besides which, humans, and presumably neanderthals dissipate excess body heat by sweating. Unless they lacked sweat glands, their demise thru global warming sounds like trendy "analysis".
Please people, its very disresprcectful to group the Neanderthals with the Muslims. The Neanderthals had many highly developed and redeaming characeristics.
Oh wait! may be they did!
This does not make any sense. The Neanderthals produced too much heat? Europe had hot summer days even during the Ice Ages. It’s assumed the Neanderthals weren’t as good at making clothing and weapons as modern humans (they never used throwing spears or the bow and arrow) so it makes sense that their bodies would have had to produce more heat to compensate.
The only thing that makes any sense would be that their heat-blasting bodies required much more food than modern humans and that would have worked against them in the long run.
They could not swim for a year.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach Adonai
Scientists are human too. They want money, they want prestige, and they want power-- or at least to see their own political ideologies ascendant.
Jumping on the global warming bandwagon, no matter how tenuous the connection to their own research, nets them all three.
-ccm
Yeah, I always thought Neanderthals were HOT!
I never even got to see it, I thought it never made it to the lineup.
Good answer!
There’s also the possibility that we’re devolving.
You heard wrong.
Spontaneous human combustion ping.
Could this be subtle Liberal propaganda? Nah, just an interesting article. ;)
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