[Ichneumon]

How is that anything other than microevolution?

Even if you want to try to hairsplit it as "just microevolution", that's *still* evolution. Do you actually have a gripe with the article, or is the "microevolution" red herring just a reflex at this point?

Also, from the article:

The microcephalin mutation's first appearance coincided with the beginnings of man's development of art, music, religious practices, and complex tool-making techniques, the researchers point out. Similarly, the launch of the ASPM mutations occurred with the spread of agriculture, urban settlements, and the first record of written language.

[tamalejoe]

One, I don't view the question of micro vs macro evolution as a red herring and, two, the author of your piece wasn't there at the invention of fire, language, farming or anything like that. He's guessing.

[Maeve]

The microcephalin mutation's first appearance coincided with the beginnings of man's development of art, music, religious practices, and complex tool-making techniques, the researchers point out. Similarly, the launch of the ASPM mutations occurred with the spread of agriculture, urban settlements, and the first record of written language.

But did they look for any profile on Neanderthalis with regard to this. After all much of the earliest art as well as the "religious burial" of the dead is Neanderthal and not sapiens sapiens.