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London - Red hair may be the genetic legacy of Neanderthals...
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| 1/14/05
| Planet Save.com
Posted on 01/16/2005 12:47:07 PM PST by IGBT
London - Red hair may be the genetic legacy of Neanderthals, according to a new study by British scientists.
Researchers at the John Radcliffe Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford were quoted by The Times as saying the so-called "ginger gene" which gives people red hair, fair skin and freckles could be up to 100 000 years old.
They claim that their discovery points to the gene having originated in Neanderthal man who lived in Europe for 200 000 years before Homo sapien settlers, the ancestors of modern man, arrived from Africa about 40 000 years ago.
Rosalind Harding, the research team leader, told The Times: "The gene is certainly older than 50 000 years and it could be as old as 100 000 years.
"An explanation is that it comes from Neanderthals." It is estimated that at least 10 percent of Scots have red hair and a further 40 percent carry the gene responsible, which could account for their once fearsome reputation as fighters.
Neanderthals have been characterised as migrant hunters and violent cannibals who probably ate most of their meat raw. They were taller and stockier than Homo sapiens, but with shorter limbs, bigger faces and noses, receding chins and low foreheads.
The two species overlapped for a period of time and the Oxford research appears to suggests that they must have successfully interbred for the "ginger gene" to survive. Neanderthals became extinct about 28 000 years ago, the last dying out in southern Spain and southwest France. - Sapa-DPA
TOPICS: News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: 1beatenlikeared; 2headedneanderthal; 3stepchild; archaeology; bigotry; caledonia; celts; dna; energy; fartyshadesofgreen; freckles; genetics; genius; ggg; gingergene; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; history; ireland; johnhawks; liveliness; mtdna; multiregionalism; neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthalbadtemper; neanderthals; newgrange; pictish; picts; putyourclothesbackon; redhair; redhead; sensitivity; stepchildren; tuscany; youthfulness
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To: Gingersnap
There is no marinade or rub that's going to make you people "finger lickin' good".Perhaps as with varmint, you have to cook human overnight to boil the meanness out.
101
posted on
01/16/2005 3:05:23 PM PST
by
johnb838
(Death to socializm. Welcome to your nightmare.)
To: nickcarraway
It is estimated that at least 10 percent of Scots have red hair and a further 40 percent carry the gene responsible, which could account for their once fearsome reputation as fighters. Grrrrrr!
The article still doesn't explain the Italian redheads.
To: ORECON
The doctor said she believes that redheads are a distinct and separate race from all other humans. She said they react to medications and anesthesia different than any other races. Same here. I've had strange drug reactions. My doctor looks at me now and says redheads are weird.
To: TheLionessRN
Well, I read recently that the typical Irish Orangehead was of the Scots-Irish clans, i.e. those that emigrated from Scotland to Ireland. Don't know much about it myself.
104
posted on
01/16/2005 3:11:55 PM PST
by
johnb838
(Death to socializm. Welcome to your nightmare.)
To: martin_fierro
Oh come on. You obviously havent seen Nikki Cox at all.
105
posted on
01/16/2005 3:12:12 PM PST
by
wallcrawlr
(www.bionicear.com)
To: Heatseeker; IGBT; Admin Moderator
Thanks for the full name. Googling that and the word Neanderthal yields this page from their Oxford news letter:
Red hair genes 100,000 years old " It has been widely reported that the gene originated in Neanderthal man. Dr Harding says this just isn't true: 'We have never stated in our research that this gene is Neanderthal, but at the moment I cannot statistically prove that it isn't which is why others have drawn these conclusions."
Turns out that this whole thread is absolute nonsense. Im shocked
106
posted on
01/16/2005 3:16:45 PM PST
by
elfman2
To: Floyd R Turbo
"It was these Celtic tribes that over time overran and populated a nearly empty (and slowly warming) north European continent, and became the roots of modern Christianity first in Europe, then worldwide." The above is definitely kind of reminiscent of the King Arthur legends.
107
posted on
01/16/2005 3:21:18 PM PST
by
Sam Cree
(Democrats are herd animals)
To: swilhelm73
I think I watched that movie at that time for just that reasonsame here.... she is a "indie movie" producer now supposedly.
108
posted on
01/16/2005 3:21:22 PM PST
by
KneelBeforeZod
( I'm going to open Cobra Kai dojos all over this valley!)
To: elfman2
Turns out that this whole thread is absolute nonsense. Yes but I consider the pictures posted herein to be valuable paleogenetic research. ;)
109
posted on
01/16/2005 3:35:29 PM PST
by
Heatseeker
("I sort of like liberals now. They’re kind of cute when they’re shivering and afraid." - Ann Coulter)
To: Sam Cree
Read the book?
I've read it. I think that Webb takes credit, on behalf of the Scots-Irish, for more than he can really justify.
However, I'd still say it's a very good book and plan on reading it again once it comes back from being loaned out.
110
posted on
01/16/2005 3:39:49 PM PST
by
DuncanWaring
(...and Freedom tastes of Reality)
Comment #111 Removed by Moderator
To: IGBT
Hmmm...I visited Denmark in the early 1980s and saw more redheads in Copenhagen than I have ever seen in one place.
112
posted on
01/16/2005 3:53:28 PM PST
by
WolfRunnerWoman
(I want closure on the word "closure".)
Comment #113 Removed by Moderator
To: IGBT
To: Fiddlstix; IGBT; SunkenCiv
115
posted on
01/16/2005 4:16:44 PM PST
by
blam
To: IGBT
Everyone knows that red hair is a result of certain celestial factors. The famous wise saying...
"Red sky at night makes shepherd's hair red with delight.
Red sky at morn, shepherds yawn."
sums up the reasons for the prevalence of red hair.
To: All
Has anybody found any more information on the Radcliffe Institute of Molecular Biology? Oxford as an IMB, but with a different name. Could it be that somebody released false information on the internet? Oh perish the thought!!
117
posted on
01/16/2005 4:19:19 PM PST
by
xroadie
To: Salamander
118
posted on
01/16/2005 4:21:29 PM PST
by
The SISU kid
(Ego cogito ergo bibo)
To: dangus
"Turns out the real Irish are the Black Irish: Dark featured, but still rather pale skin and rather short." Okay, I'll buy that. Can you tell me where the real Irish come from then? Does Fomorian ring a bell?
119
posted on
01/16/2005 4:22:16 PM PST
by
blam
To: Lazamataz
I love red heads too----married one and had 2 of them myself.
120
posted on
01/16/2005 4:24:03 PM PST
by
Mears
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