Our Species Mated With Other Human Species, Study Says

National Geographic ^ | March 6, 2002 | Hillary Mayell

[AndrewC]

But over a long time there was sufficient genetic interchange to insure that all humanity evolved as a single species."

Well, okay I'll join in on this parade of hominids. :^)

[mamelukesabre]

By biological definition, if two organisms can mate and produce fertile offspring, they belong to the same species.

~~~~~~~`

There are instances where mules are able to procreate. It doesn't happen often, but it is possible.

[blam]

"Have you read the Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes? He has been testing mitachondrial DNA for a decade now and says he has found no evidence that Neanderthals mated with homo sapiens."

I've read his theories. The downside to his work is that it only comprehends female DNA. (..And a couple other thing I already forgot.)

[RightWhale]

With the [I assume] differences in genetic or DNA structure of the various hominids, how can it be that modern humans all have the same basic DNA structure, only the genes showing varibility, if our ancestors interbred with different species?

[Right Wing Professor]

By biological definition, if two organisms can mate and produce fertile offspring, they belong to the same species.

Not really. For example blue and golden winged warblers are separate species, but in the zone where they overlap, they produce fertile F1 hybrid offspring. 'Species' is one of those categorizations that resists being defined too narrowly.

[blam]

A quick answer. I don't think we have a good or complete understanding of DNA. I've read to many DNA reports/results that heurestically do not seem correct.

[BBT]

ROFL! That was the first thing that popped into my mind upon reading this post!!!

[SharpEye]

Genesis 6

1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

[RightWhale]

Perhaps a remnant of some really, really old folk tales based on true events 40,000 years ago or more.

[mamelukesabre]

ROFL! That was the first thing that popped into my mind upon reading this post!!!

~~~~~~~

carville is way too slight of build to be compared to a neandertal. Think: short, barrel-chested, no neck, huge head, jutting jaw....GERARD DEPARDIEU

[Polybius]

By biological definition, if two organisms can mate and produce fertile offspring, they belong to the same species.

Not really. For example blue and golden winged warblers are separate species, but in the zone where they overlap, they produce fertile F1 hybrid offspring. 'Species' is one of those categorizations that resists being defined too narrowly.

"Species" is a man-made definition with certain man-made criteria. The blue and golden winged warblers may have been classified as different species by an ornithologist who believed them to be different species. Mother Nature subsequently proved the ornothologist wrong.

The warblers in question meet the criteria for:

Subspeies = a taxonomic rank immediately below species, indicating a group of organisms that is geographically isolated from and may display some morphological differences from other populations of a species, but is nevertheless able to interbreed with other such groups within the species where their ranges overlap.

[gnarledmaw]

bump

[mamelukesabre]

Ok. If you want to enforce your definition of "species", then the title of the artical could simply be changed to "our sub-species mated with other human sub-species, says study". I think we can agree on the meaning of the title, regardless of the terms or definitions of those terms, can't we?

[Cleburne]

Not always. Some seperate species can interbreed and produce viable, fertile offspring, and hybrid species can arrise from crosses of two species. Then again, I wouldn't say the distinction between species, sub-species, and variety is always clear-cut- it's not. I suspect Neanderthals to perhaps merely be a subspecies or even just a variety.

[Polybius]

Ok. If you want to enforce your definition of "species", then the title of the artical could simply be changed to "our sub-species mated with other human sub-species, says study".

That would be the taxonomically correct way to phrases it.

I think we can agree on the meaning of the title, regardless of the terms or definitions of those terms, can't we?

As long as the author was just careless in his definitions and not trying to convey a sensationalist "Tarzan mated with Chita to produce Boy's ape-man step-brother" headline.

My own personal opinion is that Homo sapien males probably never mated with Neandertal females until they had invented alcoholic beverages. ;-)

[mamelukesabre]

Would you say a donkey is merely a subspecies of horse? Because there have been rare instances where mules have been able to reproduce.

[MEGoody]

To ValerieUSA and All:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't I read something awhile back stating that Neanderthal was not a direct descendent of modern man - that the variation in DNA was something like 12% as compared to the couple of percent variation between us and chimps?

It seems they are still guessing and calling it science. LOL

[scouse]

Neandertal females

My uncle Nub used to call them sheep.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Don't you get it-- Cain was a Southerner (the kind on Jerry Springer)... : )

[mamelukesabre]

some experts say that the differences in bone structure between modern and neanderthal could be the effects of chronic iodine deficiencies and very old age(as in the individual lived to be 100 years old). Often times modern humans of advanced old age in the present begin to resemble neanderthals.