Otzi’s Neandertal ancestry

Science News ^ | May 18, 2013; Vol.183 #10; Web edition: April 15, 2013 | Bruce Bower

[SunkenCiv]

A 5,300-year-old man found sticking out of an Alpine glacier in 1991 possessed more genes in common with Neandertals than Europeans today do. The man’s Neandertal heritage is a preliminary sign that Stone Age interbreeding occurred more frequently than many scientists assume. Two researchers determined that the previously analyzed genome of Ötzi the Tyrolean Iceman (SN: 3/24/12, p. 5) included roughly 4 to 4.5 percent Neandertal genes. Modern Europeans’ genetic library includes an average of 2.5 percent Neandertal genes.

Human groups that migrated into Europe after 5,000 years ago mated with continental natives and diluted traces of Neandertal genetic ancestry in Ötzi, proposed Aaron Sams of Cornell University on April 12.

It’s difficult to estimate precisely how many genes in the Iceman or in living people had roots in Neandertals, said study coauthor John Hawks of the University of Wisconsin -- Madison, because ancient populations ancestral to both humans and Neandertals may have passed along some genes common to both species.

[SunkenCiv]

subtitle, "News in Brief: American Association of Physical Anthropologists meeting: Highlights from the annual physical anthropology meeting, Knoxville, April 10-13"

The Neandertal Enigma
by James Shreeve
in local libraries

"Frayer's own reading of the record reveals a number of overlooked traits that clearly and specifically link the Neandertals to the Cro-Magnons. One such trait is the shape of the opening of the nerve canal in the lower jaw, a spot where dentists often give a pain-blocking injection. In many Neandertal, the upper portion of the opening is covered by a broad bony ridge, a curious feature also carried by a significant number of Cro-Magnons. But none of the alleged 'ancestors of us all' fossils from Africa have it, and it is extremely rare in modern people outside Europe." [pp 126-127]

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
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[knarf]

fascinating pictures

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Pretty wild stuff. I watched that movie the other night "Cave of forgotten dreams" by Werner Herzog about the Chauvet cave in France where they got cave paintings 32,000 years old. Hard to believe because they look like they were done a month ago, but they said a landslide sealed the cave in for all that time. It was pretty mind blowing, you see the burnt sticks they used to draw on the walls still laying on the floor and hand prints. I mean look at this: Some guy 30,000 years before Christ blew red paint on his hand and it looks like it was done a day ago..

[mountainlion]

It’s difficult to estimate precisely how many genes in the Iceman or in living people had roots in Neandertals

Are we talking about a hundred yDNA genes or the full million or so? These people seem to confuse more than educate.

[Sawdring]

I watched that one last month and thought it was awesome.

[Pharmboy]

They say Otzi had 4-4.5% Neandertal; I have 2.7%, which is average for Euros with my profile. Asians have higher percentages, up to 4%, so Otzi isn’t exactly off the scale.

[vladimir998]

We always hear that Neaderthals were primitive, but if what you posted is true, then wouldn’t suggest that Europeans and Asians - if they have the higher rate of Neaderthal DNA - have been such dynamic and accomplished peoples perhaps because of that Neaderthal DNA?

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Was that an incredible movie or what? And I read it was playing in theaters last year and in 3D no less. 32,000 years is so long ago it is impossible to fathom, it might as well be infinity. Yet you look at these paintings/hand prints and they literally look like they were done last week. Not even, a minute ago. It is the most mind blowing time machine ever. And what got me was the animals they painted...Rinos? Lions? In France? But back then it was a completely different planet. It made me realize that this world we live in today is an aberration. For tens of thousands of years, people lived like that and suddenly in less that 200, in the blink of an eye, I can write you across the world.

[Sawdring]

I thought it was cool how they figured the lions back then had no manes because of the paintings. I wonder how many more sites like this remain to be found.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

About 6 years ago I use to drive a taxi in New York city in between jobs and one day I lucked out and picked up a history professor who took me up and down the west side of Manhattan and showed me the old forts from the Revolutionary war. You would never know it in a million years, the freakin stones are still there. It’s education, knowledge. To anyone else they would think it was rocks laying about, but if you know you can see the outline of where they put the cannons while the British sailed up and down the Hudson slamming cannonballs into the place. I freakin’ LOVE history!

[blam]

" if they have the higher rate of Neaderthal DNA - have been such dynamic and accomplished peoples perhaps because of that Neaderthal DNA?"

Exactly.

It may have been our encounter and mixing with Neanderthal that gave us the higher IQ's we have today. We are the product of the best of the Modern Human/Neanderthal combinations.

[martin_fierro]

Just sayin'.

[RedHeeler]

I’ve worked, for both of those fellas. Regardless, they got good lookin’ sisters.

[SunkenCiv]

I saw him somewhere near Salinas.