Posted on 05/31/2006 8:02:01 PM PDT by truthfinder9
Scientists Sequence Neanderthal Genome For First Time Biochemist predicts that nuclear DNA sequences will show Neanderthals did not evolve into modern humans
NEWS ADVISORY, June 01, 2006, /Christian Wire Service/ - - At the Biology of Genomes meeting held recently at New York's Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, scientific teams from the Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany and the Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek, California reported on the first-ever Neanderthal nuclear DNA sequences.
These researchers sequenced about 1 million base pairs, or genetic letters, of the Neanderthal genome for a 45,000-year-old male specimen recovered from the Vindija Cave near Zagreb, Croatia.
"This work is incredible. There is no other way to put it," says biochemist Fazale 'Fuz' Rana, PhD, and author of the Amazon.com best-seller, Who Was Adam?
In Who Was Adam?, a book which examines human origins from a scientific and biblical perspective, Rana and co-author astronomer Hugh Ross present the first scientific model for creation that is fully testable and predictive.
"Our theory maintains that there is no evolutionary connection between Neanderthals and modern humans," states Ross. "If this is the case, then Neanderthals should prove to be genetically distinct from modern humans-precisely why this new research on the nuclear DNA of Neanderthals is so vitally important."
According to Dr. Rana, previous studies of Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA sequences already suggest that the creation model's predictions about Neanderthals are correct.
"The results of Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA analyses are compelling. Still, these DNA sequences constitute a small, specialized fraction of Neanderthal DNA," cautions Rana. "With the Neanderthal genome in hand, we will be able to definitively test the predictions of our creation model."
Even though scientists have only sequenced about 0.03% of the Neanderthal genome, they hope to generate the DNA sequence for most of the Neanderthal genome soon. Dr. Rana is one of many scientists anticipating the future prospects for this research.
"Having the Neanderthal genome will prove invaluable," continues Rana. "These DNA sequences will give us greater]xl33"arity about the identity of Neanderthals and provide an invaluable opportunity to test different theories for humanity's origin."
"My sense is that when the Neanderthal genome is analyzed it will show, once and for all, that Neanderthals did not evolve into modern humans," predicts Rana.
placemarker
Thanks PH, no.
Realize that until a few years ago, most scientists still thought modern humans and neaderthals were closely related. This has completely changed especially with genetic studies.
I'm not so sure his liver isn't alive. In fact, I heard that the Defense Department has dibs on it after he dies. They want to analyze it to find the secret to its indestructability and to see if such a substance could have military applications...
evolutionary speculation. Aptly put.
A mainstream scientist will say "not related" about this finding and only mean "not as related as some people were claiming." In particular, not a direct contributor to the gene pool of modern humans.
To ignore the two "not related"s being vastly different historical and physical conditions is to fall into a fallacy of equivocation. Evidence for the latter "not related"-ness is in no wise evidence for the former.
I'm not espousing it, just repeating it.
I don't buy the development of modern man as represented, anyway. We popped up about 35,000 years ago, and eradicated entirely Neanderthal - who had been here over 100,000 - in 5000 years.
Why?
A silly objection! Hint to the un-hintable: You're talking about this kind of thing.
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Both lineages have diverged from a starting point removed in time from the last examples of either. Some of the differences between humans and neanderthals arose along the human line. Some arose along the neanderthal line. You might as well be protesting you can't have common ancestors with your sixth cousin because you don't seem all that related.
The fossil record is increasingly showing us this history. H.s. idaltu would be one example of a recent addition. There's nothing unthinkable about it and the evidence for it is better now than it ever was. The only question, and it's still a little bit open but closing fast, is whether humans and neanderthals had completely speciated by the time neanderthals went extinct. It's looking more and more as though this is the case.
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