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First Draft of the Neandertal Genome Sequence Released
ICR ^ | March 4, 2009 | Jeffrey Tomkins, Ph.D.

Posted on 03/04/2009 7:00:22 PM PST by GodGunsGuts

First Draft of the Neandertal Genome Sequence Released

by Jeffrey Tomkins, Ph.D.*

The highly anticipated initial draft assembly of the Neandertal genome was announced at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in the United States and at a European press conference.1 This genomic milestone involves approximately 3 billion bases of ancient human (Neandertal) DNA sequenced so far, which is the same amount of DNA contained in one set of human chromosomes or a single genome coverage. This is a major event in the booming scientific field referred to as “paleogenomics,” a discipline that studies ancient DNA and is providing exciting new evidence in support of the recent creation model.

The Neandertal DNA was obtained from bone fragments using advanced isolation techniques developed specifically to remove contamination and alleviate DNA damage associated with ancient DNA. In addition, “next generation” sequencing technology involving new chemistry and instrumentation was used to rapidly produce considerably more DNA sequence data per laboratory run than previous technologies.

The effort to produce an initial 3 billion bases of DNA for the Neandertal genome was led by Dr. Svaante Paabo of the Institute for Anthropology at the Max Planck Research Institute in Germany. It should be noted that future Neandertal sequencing promises to increase the accuracy of the overall DNA sequence, as well as fill in gaps found in the current “rough draft” sequence. All of the DNA sequence will be placed in the public domain (web-based databases) for researchers around the world to freely query, download, and analyze. In fact, researchers at ICR will be using the Neandertal DNA sequence in a variety of research projects investigating the role of the human genome in the creation model.

Evolutionists consider modern humans and Neandertals to be two distinct human species that separated from each other 35,000 to 800,000 years ago. However, within the recent creation perspective, Neandertals and modern humans are not really separate “species,” but represent different human gene pools in time and location.

Consistent with this idea, the genomes are proving to be quite similar. In fact, preliminary findings over the past couple of years support this interpretation, as a variety of genes have been characterized in the Neandertal genome with high similarity to modern human genes. These genes are associated with such traits as pale skin and red hair, type O blood, and high levels of linguistic and mental ability.2, 3, 4 Since evolutionary scientists considered these gene variants to be strictly associated with modern humans, it comes as no surprise that the evidence will once again force “re-explanations.”

The Neandertals essentially represented a unique ethnic group that is now gone due to the same factors that affect modern human populations—factors such as migration, mutation, and interbreeding. Neandertals represent a variant genome from within the created human kind. We predict that future analysis of Neandertal DNA sequence data will add confirmation to creation, but consternation to other origins models.

References

  1. Pennisi, E. 2009. Neandertal Genomics: Tales of a Prehistoric Human Genome. Science. 323 (5916): 866-871.
  2. Culotta, E. 2007. Ancient DNA Reveals Neandertals With Red Hair, Fair Complexions. Science. 318 (5850): 546-547.
  3. Lalueza-Fox, C. et al. 2008. Genetic characterization of the ABO blood group in Neandertals. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 8: 342.
  4. Krause, J. et al. 2007. The Derived FOXP2 Variant of Modern Humans Was Shared with Neandertals. Current Biology. 17 (21): 1908-1912.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: aaas; basepairs; belongsinreligion; creation; dna; drsvaantepaabo; evolution; genome; godsgravesglyphs; intelligentdesign; maxplanck; neandertal
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To: GodGunsGuts
This face...

...could not possibly sit on this skull...

That should be obvious to anyone with the slightest sense of proportion.

41 posted on 03/04/2009 8:54:17 PM PST by TigersEye (Cloward-Piven Strategy)
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To: GodGunsGuts

Thanks for the ping!


42 posted on 03/04/2009 9:17:50 PM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: tacticalogic
Would you be willing to be money on that?

What? A thousand dollars of FR play dough, or what? Or, is that too much pressure? Maybe we should just make it a fiver of FR play dough. And, what’s the trick here? Are you counting on anyone who trashes Dr. Tomkins’ work to deny that there is any such animal as a Darwinian? OK, I would be five dollars of FR play dough that someone will trash Dr. Tomkins’ work except that someone already has (including you). Too bad, so sad.

43 posted on 03/04/2009 9:42:42 PM PST by YHAOS
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To: TigersEye

As a strong Darwinian, I have no problem with the idea that Neanderthals and modern man were the same species, and interbred recently. I think you guys are right about that. I’ve always assumed Cro Magnon interbred with Neanderthal wherever they did not exterminate them.

I also believe that Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal are both previously undocumented migrations out of the African Rift Valley, like other modern H. sapiens that migrated to Sinai and Aden in the last 100K years.

Creationists keep attacking evolution on petty details. This suggests that the larger evolutionary picture is correct.

What DO need to be filled in — with genome discoveries — are the details of recent human evolution.

Yes, there is evidence of modern-like humans alongside Neanderthal types in Spain, 800,000 years ago. I do not know what that may mean. I understand the Neanderthals were cannibalizing the “modern” humans.


44 posted on 03/04/2009 9:44:12 PM PST by Mad Tom
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To: Mad Tom
I am not an evolutionist or a creationist so I don't even know which "you guys" it is you think I am. At any rate; I was simply pointing out that the face put forth by NatGeo as a Neanderthal and the skull gleaned from Wiki which is supposed to also be a Neanderthal are incompatible. Both were put forth as some kind of supporting evidence on the creationist website linked above.

The only way you could get a forehead like the one on that face on a skull like that is if you inflated the scalp with air like a basketball.

45 posted on 03/04/2009 10:08:46 PM PST by TigersEye (Cloward-Piven Strategy)
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To: Mad Tom

The response format, which I haven’t yet mastered, caused me to respond to you. I meant to respond to the thread.

Sorry.

I want to reiterate that the suggestion that H. n. and H. s. DID intrebreed is NOT a setback, not a problem, for the Theory of Evolution. We are arguing about deck chairs here.

We should welcome conflicting evidence about the minute details of the Theory.

By all means, let us “follow the truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it.” — Thomas Jefferson

By all means, let’s look at Evolution. Let’s “follow the truth, wherever it may lead”.

I say Darwin nailed the big picture.


46 posted on 03/05/2009 4:06:13 AM PST by Mad Tom
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To: kitchen

egad! do you realize what will happen now?!? ;’)

Neanderthal genome to be unveiled: Draft sequence opens window on human relatives
Nature — 457, 645 (2009) | February 4, 2009 | Rex Dalton
Posted on 02/07/2009 8:31:28 PM PST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2180793/posts

Neanderthals could walk again after discovery of genetic code
dailymail.co.uk | Feb. 12, 2009 | Fiona Macrae
Posted on 02/12/2009 12:35:36 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2184286/posts

A complete Neandertal mtDNA genome
Panda’s Thumb | January 6, 2009 | Jim Foley
Posted on 01/07/2009 4:22:16 PM PST by decimon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2160586/posts


47 posted on 03/05/2009 4:14:54 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·

 
Gods
Graves
Glyphs
Thanks kitchen.

Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
 

·Dogpile · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society ·
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· The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·


48 posted on 03/05/2009 4:15:19 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: GodGunsGuts

Probably not ~ ya’ gotta’ draw lines somewhere!


49 posted on 03/05/2009 6:41:40 AM PST by muawiyah
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To: GodGunsGuts; tacticalogic
However, within the recent creation perspective, Neandertals and modern humans are not really separate ‘species,’ but represent different human gene pools in time and location.”

Do creationists still believe that Neandertals were just humans with rickets? Or, as the ICR creation museum said (or perhaps still says), Neandertals were just really old people who lived magically long after the flood? Of course, in 2004, Answers in Creation summarizes, "More research needs to be done to separate Neanderthal to a species distinct from Homo Sapiens. However, enough evidence is available to disprove young earth claims that Neanderthal was human."

That confuses me further... which is because I don't know what a kind is. (So far, we have spider, dog, horseshoe crab and I read about giraffe kinds in another post yesterday)

Question: When there are "different gene pools in different locations," what happens over a long period of time?
50 posted on 03/05/2009 7:53:37 AM PST by whattajoke (.)
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To: GodGunsGuts

If I am recalling correctly, the average size of Neanderthal’s brain was larger than H. Sapiens. This might implies that they were smarter than us. Lest you feel superior to Neanderthal, the average size of H. Sapiens brain has been decreasing. If you don’t believe this factoid look at the present day Congress.


51 posted on 03/05/2009 5:08:59 PM PST by Citizen Tom Paine (Swift as the wind; Calmly majestic as a forest; Steady as the mountains.)
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