Posted on 10/21/2003 4:52:45 AM PDT by blam
World's 'oldest' rice found
By Dr David Whitehouse
BBC News Online science editor
Rice was on the menu for ancient man
Scientists have found the oldest known domesticated rice. The handful of 15,000-year-old burnt grains was discovered by archaeologists in Korea.
Their age challenges the accepted view that rice cultivation originated in China about 12,000 years ago.
The rice is genetically different from the modern food crop, which will allow researchers to trace its evolution.
Today's rice is the primary food for over half the world's population, with 576,280,000 tonnes produced in 2002.
Rice is especially important in Asia, where it is responsible for almost a third of all calorific intake.
Tracer of evolution
The oldest know rice was discovered by Lee Yung-jo and Woo Jong-yoon of Chungbuk National University in South Korea.
The rice DNA will aid evolution study
They found the ancient grains during excavations in the village of Sorori in the Chungbuk Province.
Radioactive dating of the 59 grains of carbonised rice has pushed back the date for the earliest known cultivation of the plant.
DNA analysis shows the early rice sample to be different from the modern intensively farmed varieties, thereby offering scientists the opportunity to study the evolution of one of the world's principal food sources.
The region in central Korea where the grains were found is one of the most important sites for understanding the development of Stone Age man in Asia.
For goodness sake, it's still rice. It is not half rice half some primitive ancestor.
No kidding. Rice from 50 years ago is different from rice now because us humans have been modifying it to be hardier and more productive. To call this evolution is just plain stupid and dishonest.
The handful of 15,000-year-old burnt grains was discovered by archaeologists in Korea.
Hmmm, something strange going on here. Korea was under a glacier 15,000 years ago.
Imported rice from southern Asia, 15,000 years ago??
Yeah.
He plays for Oakland. <|:)~
Maps aside, you will find numerous existing glaciers their today as well as evidence of wide spread coverage.
Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- Evidences of glacier have recently been discovered around Mt. Kumgang in Korea and scientifically proved. The glacial terrain of the mountain includes a cirque, a u-shaped glacial valley, the site of a glacial lake, a glacial terrace, a heap of moraine, a sharp ridge, a glacier snout, crevasse, moraine, signs of scraping on rocks, curved rocks and holes caused by icy water. Sediments contain many spore and pollen fossils. Most of the spore and pollen fossils belong to the species that are fond of cold weather. Needle-leaf plant pollen fossils were discovered en masse. Fungi and algae fossils were also discovered in large numbers. There remain many descendants of plants that lived in cold weather. The discovery of evidences of glacier around Mt. Kumgang is of great academic significance in that they show there was glacier in a place lower than and south of Mt. Onjin in Yonsan and Suan counties, North Hwanghae Province. The discovery is another scientific and theoretical proof that there was an ice age in Korea.
What do natives of Charleston (SC) have in common with the Chinese?
They both eat rice and worship their ancestors.
Thank you. Thankyouvery much. I'll be here all week... 
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this ping list.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.