Here's What Happened When Neanderthals And Ancient Humans Hooked Up 80,000 Years Ago

BI ^ | 1-29-2014 | Dina Spector

[blam]

Here's What Happened When Neanderthals And Ancient Humans Hooked Up 80,000 Years Ago

Dina Spector
Jan. 29, 2014, 1:49 PM

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Neanderthal REUTERS/Nikola Solic

Hyperrealistic face of a neanderthal male is displayed in a cave in the new Neanderthal Museum in the northern Croatian town of Krapina February 25, 2010

By comparing the Neanderthal genome to modern human DNA, the authors of two new studies, both published on Wednesday, show how DNA that humans have inherited from breeding with Neanderthals has shaped us.

Modern humans, Neanderthals, and their sister lineage, Denisovans, descended from a common ancestor. The ancestors of modern humans broke off from this single branch more than 500,000 years ago. The Neanderthals split from the Denisovans some time later. The Neanderthals formed their own lineage that lived in Europe and Asia from around 200,000 years ago to 30,000 years ago. There's also a period when scientists believe that Neanderthals and ancient humans overlapped and interbred.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School, who published their findings in Nature, previously showed that the ancestors of modern humans interbred with Neanderthals between 80,000 years ago and 40,000 years ago, before Neanderthals went extinct.

Any given person of European or Asian descent owes at least 1% of their DNA to the Neanderthal genome.

(snip)

[prof.h.mandingo]

We used to call them wino's. They were useful as a species to help us humans buy alcohol from non middle eastern convenience store types in the 60’s.

[EEGator]

Jesus Quintana as the Secretary of Education.

[Le Chien Rouge]

Neanderthals....waiting for the obligatory Helen Thomas picture....You folks KNOW it’s coming...

[AFret.]

Jesus Quintana as the Secretary of Education.

---

“Eight-year olds, Dude.”

[tomkat]

.. because I have run across so many people who act and look like neanderthals

easy there, sapien !

[x1stcav]

Is that Laz?

[TheThirdRuffian]

Given that Neadertals were likely more intelligent that homo sapiens, that’s not a bad thing.

[Defiant]

So you met the President of France?

[blam]

"Given that Neaderthals were likely more intelligent that homo sapiens, that’s not a bad thing."

I have ideas along that line too.

[gusty]

I could see George Thorogood covering this song.

[Eaker]

Gunner, I’ve never seen you without your hat!

[BigBobber]

Well, based on the picture the women were pretty ugly. I wonder what the men looked like?

[TheOldLady]

I’m a Neanderthal as well. I have that bony ridge in my jaw that makes it impossible to numb my teeth.

Dentists have to numb the root of the tooth itself and not the nerve in my throat.

[TheOldLady]

Helen Thomas is extinct.

[TheOldLady]

Leave Gunner’s hat alone.

[cookcounty]

A fat-faced JohnKerry

[trisham]

My ancestors are from Germany and Ireland. I have reddish highlights in my hair, blue-grey eyes and pale skin.

"A 2007 genetic study suggested some Neanderthals may have had red hair and light skin colour."

Source: Wikipedia

:)

[VerySadAmerican]

If Moochelle skips a few shaves you’ll see a strong resemblance.

[trisham]

Not at all.

[TheOldLady]

I’m Italian and French. I have graying black hair and brown eyes.

There is probably plenty of Neanderthal DNA all over the world.