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Neanderthals could have died out because their bodies overheated
Telegraph ^ | 20 Dec 2008 | Richard Gray

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 ...


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: dna; globalwarming; godsgravesglyphs; neandertal; neanderthal; neanderthals
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To: All
It wasn't the heat, it was the bad restaurant service!

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21 posted on 12/21/2008 9:54:48 AM PST by pillut48 (CJ in TX --"God help us all, and God help America!!" --my new mantra for the next 4 years)
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To: BlueStateBlues

BUSH’S FAULT.


22 posted on 12/21/2008 9:56:45 AM PST by SIDENET (Hubba Hubba...)
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To: EscapedDutch
Neanderthals are still alive today.

You're right!


23 posted on 12/21/2008 9:56:48 AM PST by TruthWillWin
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To: LiberConservative

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?


24 posted on 12/21/2008 10:00:38 AM PST by huldah1776 ( Worthy is the Lamb)
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To: BGHater
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.

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".

25 posted on 12/21/2008 10:01:02 AM PST by 6SJ7 (Atlas Shrugged Mode: ON)
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To: LiberConservative

Please people, its very disresprcectful to group the Neanderthals with the Muslims. The Neanderthals had many highly developed and redeaming characeristics.


26 posted on 12/21/2008 10:01:06 AM PST by zadox (Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them. Reagan)
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To: BGHater
So, I guess as the climate got warmer in their usual habitat they just suffered it out? And did not bother to migrate along with the cool climate as it receded - like Yeti and Bigfoot did.

Oh wait! may be they did!

27 posted on 12/21/2008 10:01:25 AM PST by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
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To: BGHater

http://science.howstuffworks.com/shc2.htm

28 posted on 12/21/2008 10:02:38 AM PST by ETL (Smoking gun evidence on ALL the ObamaRat-commie connections at my newly revised FR Home/About page)
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To: BGHater

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.


29 posted on 12/21/2008 10:03:40 AM PST by sinanju
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To: BGHater
"The question is why did Neanderthals disappear?

They could not swim for a year.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach Adonai
30 posted on 12/21/2008 10:04:31 AM PST by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 78:35 And they remembered that God was their ROCK, And the Most High God their Redeemer.)
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To: BGHater


"This explains everything."
31 posted on 12/21/2008 10:09:33 AM PST by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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To: Gaffer
This type of study is called “academic political opportunism” aimed at getting more grant money, paid research from government, etc. It is the worst kind of academic fraud.

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

32 posted on 12/21/2008 10:34:16 AM PST by ccmay (Too much Law; not enough Order.)
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To: BGHater

Yeah, I always thought Neanderthals were HOT!


33 posted on 12/21/2008 10:40:33 AM PST by brytlea (You can fool enough of the people enough of the time.)
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To: autumnraine

I never even got to see it, I thought it never made it to the lineup.


34 posted on 12/21/2008 10:41:37 AM PST by brytlea (You can fool enough of the people enough of the time.)
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To: EscapedDutch

Good answer!
There’s also the possibility that we’re devolving.


35 posted on 12/21/2008 10:56:12 AM PST by tbw2 (Freeper sci-fi - "Humanity's Edge" - on amazon.com)
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To: huldah1776
I heard if you age progress any human, gravity will pull the bone structure down to look like a neanderthal.

You heard wrong.

36 posted on 12/21/2008 10:59:35 AM PST by Coyoteman (Religious belief does not constitute scientific evidence, nor does it convey scientific knowledge.)
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To: BGHater


Neanderthals did not become extinct, they evolved.
37 posted on 12/21/2008 11:12:06 AM PST by Islander7 (This Atlas is shrugging! ~ I am Joe!)
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To: BGHater; SunkenCiv

Spontaneous human combustion ping.


38 posted on 12/21/2008 11:43:02 AM PST by wildbill
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To: BGHater

39 posted on 12/21/2008 11:54:44 AM PST by JoeProBono ( Loose Associations - Postcards from My Mind)
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To: BGHater
Neanderthals: The first victims of Global Warming.

Could this be subtle Liberal propaganda? Nah, just an interesting article. ;)

40 posted on 12/21/2008 1:17:04 PM PST by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
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