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See the face of your 100,000-year-old ancestor
The Jerusalem Post ^ | By Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman September 19, 2019 20:32

Posted on 09/19/2019 10:42:50 AM PDT by Red Badger

Israeli team used DNA to design first Denosivan replica

Portrait of a female Denisovan teen. (photo credit: MAAYAN HAREL)

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Meet “Denise,” the first reconstructed anatomical profile of what, until now, were considered the mysterious Denisovans, a group of archaic humans.

She was revealed on Thursday by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The team who managed to recreate her profile say that long-term, their research shows possible strategies that could be taken for forensic applications.

Denisovans lived in Siberia and Eastern Asia before going extinct approximately 50,000 years ago, said Hebrew University researcher Prof. Liran Carmel, who led the study. But exactly what Denisovans might have looked like had previously been anyone’s guess. Since their original discovery in 2008, researchers had only three fossils to work with: a bone from the tip of “Denise’s” pinkie finger, a few teeth and a recently found lower jaw bone. The researchers were able to reconstruct the Denisovan profile over a three-year period by examining patterns of methylation in their ancient DNA.

3-D printed reconstruction of a female Denisovan (Credit: Maayan Harel)3-D printed reconstruction of a female Denisovan (Credit: Maayan Harel)

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DNA methylation is a process by which methyl groups are added to the DNA molecule, thereby changing the activity of a segment of DNA. “Methylation provides ample information on gene transcription,” Carmel explained.

By studying Denisovan DNA methylation maps and comparing them to those of Neanderthals – another group of archaic humans who went extinct in Europe about 40,000 years ago – as well as ancient Homo sapiens, the team was able to understand what the differences might mean to Denisovan anatomical features, based on what is known about human disorders in which those genes lose their function.

“We got a prediction as to what skeletal parts are affected by differential regulation of each gene and in what direction that skeletal part would change – for example, a longer or shorter femur bone,” said Dr. David Gokhman, now a postdoc at Stanford, who also worked on the project.

Carmel said it is very difficult to get an anatomical profile from a DNA sequence: at most, scientists and forensics teams can tell basic details, such as whether the person has dark hair or skin. DNA methylation, however, allows researchers to make much more detailed anatomical predictions.

The team was able to prove about 85% accuracy of their model by using the same methodology to create anatomical models of Neanderthals and chimpanzees, which have known anatomical profiles.

“One of the most exciting moments happened a few weeks after we sent our paper to peer-review,” Carmel said. “Scientists had discovered a Denisovan jawbone. We quickly compared this bone to our predictions and found that it matched perfectly. Without even planning it, we received independent confirmation of our ability to reconstruct whole anatomical profiles using DNA that we extracted from a single fingertip.”

The researchers found that Denisovans have striking similar methylation patterns to humans. They also found that there are 56 anatomical features in which Denisovans differ from modern humans and/or Neanderthals, 34 of them in the skull.

Past research done outside of Hebrew University showed that up to 6% of present-day Melanesians and Aboriginal Australians contain Denisovan DNA. Further, Denisovan DNA likely contributed to modern Tibetans’ ability to live in high altitudes and to Inuits’ ability to withstand freezing temperatures.

Although Carmel said that “using our method directly for forensic application is currently not possible,” because it is designed to study differences outside the variability of modern humans and police would need to find features within that variability, “DNA methylation may provide much information that could help the police,” with forensic data, according to Carmel.


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; History; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: archaeology; denosivan; denosivans; genetics; ggg; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; history; paleontology
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To: DannyTN

Well 12,000 years ago we went through an ice age among other world wide catastrophes. Civilization never really began until the Old testament work first started 5K years ago.


21 posted on 09/19/2019 11:00:45 AM PDT by miliantnutcase
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To: Red Badger


22 posted on 09/19/2019 11:01:27 AM PDT by z3n
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To: DannyTN
If man existed 100,000 years ago, he would have overpopulated the world and there would be massive evidence.

You're assigning today's environment to that of 100,000 years ago. When you're not the highest predator on the food chain, bad things happen and the average age is significantly less. I have no doubt that early man existed and I think carbon dating proves it. Why growth was slow can probably be explained by environmental conditions, high infant mortality, and a bazillion other factors.

23 posted on 09/19/2019 11:04:43 AM PDT by econjack
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To: z3n

I have no idea who that is....................


24 posted on 09/19/2019 11:05:53 AM PDT by Red Badger (Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain......................)
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To: Mariner

I agree. Modern humans developed a “leadership gene” which even today appears in a small, but predictable, percentage of the population. A smaller number with that gene have the ability to be leaders of leaders, and so on. This allowed our ancestors to organize tribes much, much larger than simple family units. This not only strgnthened out gene pool, but combined with out innate capacity for genocide, allowed us to crush other and even more physically robust hominids.


25 posted on 09/19/2019 11:06:00 AM PDT by PUGACHEV
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To: DannyTN

Your chart does not include any reference to the lowering of infant mortality rates in the last 200 years

The population has grown so fast the last few centuries because 5 out of 7 children no longer die before the age of 6.


26 posted on 09/19/2019 11:07:45 AM PDT by Fai Mao (There is no rule of law in the US until The PIAPS is executed.)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

I don’t know why these ‘artists’ always show cave people and the like with dirty faces, like these people didn’t know how to clean themselves up..................


27 posted on 09/19/2019 11:07:56 AM PDT by Red Badger (Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain......................)
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To: Red Badger

So...pretty much like a modern human. Thanks.


28 posted on 09/19/2019 11:08:32 AM PDT by agatheringstorm
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To: Red Badger

Denosivan chicks were easy.


29 posted on 09/19/2019 11:12:08 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: miliantnutcase

The Toba supervolcano of 70,000 years ago is said to have reduced the human population 10 10000-30000 individuals.


30 posted on 09/19/2019 11:13:01 AM PDT by brianr10
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To: Red Badger

#not my ancestor


31 posted on 09/19/2019 11:14:16 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not Averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Fai Mao
Take 2 people and a 0.01 Growth Rate.

In 100 years, there would be 5.4 people.
In 1000 years, there would be 41,918 people. br>In 2000 years, there would be 878,582,410 people.

The human growth rate would have had to have been 0 for 90,000 years. It's just not believable.


32 posted on 09/19/2019 11:14:27 AM PDT by DannyTN
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To: DannyTN
The agricultural revolution brought a big change in carrying capacity of people.


33 posted on 09/19/2019 11:15:29 AM PDT by seowulf
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To: DannyTN

34 posted on 09/19/2019 11:15:53 AM PDT by Openurmind
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To: seowulf

Yeah, because it took 90,000 years for man to decide to plant seeds. LOL, It’s just ridiculous.


35 posted on 09/19/2019 11:16:48 AM PDT by DannyTN
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To: z3n; Lazamataz

Oldowan Laz would hit it.


36 posted on 09/19/2019 11:19:21 AM PDT by DannyTN
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Most humans even now live near the sea. 12000 years ago, sea level was 300 feet lower. I would say most evidence of past civilizations has long been wiped out


37 posted on 09/19/2019 11:19:24 AM PDT by dsrtsage (Complexity is merely simplicity lacking imagination)
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To: Red Badger

Oh Denise, shooby doo
I’m in love with you, Denise shooby doo
I’m in love with you, Denise shooby doo
I’m in love with you

Denise, Denise, oh, with your eyes so blue
Denise, Denise, I’ve got a crush on you
Denise, Denise, I’m so in love with you

Oh, when we walk, it seems like paradise
And when we talk, it always feels so nice
Denise, Denise, I’m so in love with you

Your my dream and I’m in heaven
Every time I look at you
When you smile it’s like a dream
And I’m so lucky ‘cause I found a girl like you

Oh Denise, shooby doo
I’m in love with you, Denise shooby doo
I’m in love with you, Denise shooby doo
I’m in love with you

Apology to Randy and the Rainbows


38 posted on 09/19/2019 11:19:25 AM PDT by buckalfa (The best two years of my life were spent in the third grade.)
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To: Fai Mao

Or the average lifespan.


39 posted on 09/19/2019 11:19:57 AM PDT by Openurmind
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To: Openurmind

And no plague or starvation due to other natural disasters


40 posted on 09/19/2019 11:23:14 AM PDT by Fai Mao (There is no rule of law in the US until The PIAPS is executed.)
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