[SunkenCiv]

Reconstruction of a 'homo erectus' based on fossils from different locations, in an image from the Natural History Museum.

Natural History Museum

[alexander_busek]

Protein reveals the oldest episode of sex and procreation among human species

And here I was, expecting to read of fossilized panties undergoing DNA testing!

Instead, it's about tooth enamel!

Whew! That was a close one!

But tooth enamel? What does that tell us about the depraved sex practices of our ancient ancestors?

Regards,

[abb]

Love at first sight?

[arthurus]

They all interbred with viable offspring. They are all one species. Denisovans, Neanderthals, Homo Erecti did not go extinct. They fused with Homo Sapiens. They are among us/in us still. The percentages of DNA are low for the other varieties because at any given time there were far more Homo Sapiens than there were the others.

[equaviator]

"proteins from the tooth enamel of six fossils dating back around 400,000 years -- five men and one woman"

It's hard to think of them as being men and women when you're talking about it being almost half a million years ago.

[Candor7]

Two Paleolithic versions of Vin Deisel ?

[Adder]

Ugh...I’m thinking “not even at closing time...”

[trebb]

“Homo erectus”

There’s gotta be a joke or two in there....

[T.B. Yoits]

"Been there. Done that." - Keith Richards

[Lazamataz]

                    Homo erectus

[one guy in new jersey]

SC, this really does sound like so much hooie.

Fake Science.

Thinly-supported theories about supposed ancestors referred to as if they are established fact, reliable history.

There’s a lot of PhD degrees on the line if they start admitting the fictions they’ve been trading in.

[Cheesehead in Texas]

Recently defeated Congressman Al Green underneath all the hair.

[Bratch]

[faithhopecharity]

the guy on the left is the spitting image of a former boss o mine

[Tench_Coxe]

[BiteYourSelf]

Muzz-tards will eff anything.🙄

[eldoradude]

Homo Carvillus

[ek_hornbeck]

The transition from H. erectus to H. sapiens was a gradual one. That's why in the fossil record going about 600 ka - 1 Ma+ you have a bunch of skulls and other skeletal elements assigned to "archaic Homo sapiens", with names like H. rudolfensis, H. heidelbergensis, etc.

Some of these pre-date the H. sapiens - Neanderthal split, others are thought to be the H. sapiens line leading to just after the split.

It makes perfect sense that once modern humans appeared, there would still be some "H. rudolfensis" or something similar around that they could interbreed with - they're populations on the same genetic "branch" as we are. Interbreeding with true H. erectus with their much smaller brains and more primitive culture is much less likely. Most likely humans in Indonesia hunted and ate the "hobbits" rather than mating with them!

[Billthedrill]

We ancient men can’t get a break in the media these days. I’m gonna write a strongly-worded letter of protest as soon as I find my glasses.