Modern Humans, Not Neanderthals, May Be Evolution's 'Odd Man Out'

EurekAlert ^ | 9-8-2006 | Neil Schoenherr - University Of Washington

[blam]

Contact: Neil Schoenherr
nschoenherr@wustl.edu
314-935-5235
Washington University in St. Louis

Modern humans, not Neandertals, may be evolution's 'odd man out'

Looking incorrectly at Neandertals

Could it be that in the great evolutionary "family tree," it is we Modern Humans, not the brow-ridged, large-nosed Neandertals, who are the odd uncle out?

New research published in the August, 2006 journal Current Anthropology by Neandertal and early modern human expert, Erik Trinkaus, professor of anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, suggests that rather than the standard straight line from chimps to early humans to us with Neandertals off on a side graph, it's equally valid, perhaps more valid based on what the fossils tell us, that the straight line should be from the common ancestor to the Neandertals, and the Modern Humans should be the branch off that.

Trinkaus has spent years examining the fossil record and began to realize that maybe researchers have been looking at our ancient ancestors the wrong way.

Trinkaus combed through the fossil record, identifying traits which seemed to be genetic markers – those not greatly influenced by environment, life ways and wear and tear. He was careful to examine traits that appear to be largely independent of each other to avoid redundancy.

"I wanted to see to what extent Neandertals are derived, that is distinct, from the ancestral form. I also wanted to see the extent to which modern humans are derived relative to the ancestral form," Trinkaus says. "What I came up with is that modern humans have about twice as many uniquely derived traits than do the Neandertals."

"In the broader sweep of human evolution," says Trinkaus, "the more unusual group is not Neandertals, whom we tend to look at as strange, weird and unusual, but it's us - Modern Humans. The more academic implication of this research is that we should not be trying to explain the Neandertals, which is what most people have tried to do, including myself, in the past. We wonder why Neandertals look unusual and we want to explain that. What I'm saying is that we've been asking the wrong questions."

The most unusual characteristics throughout human anatomy occur in Modern Humans, argues Trinkaus. "If we want to better understand human evolution, we should be asking why Modern Humans are so unusual, not why the Neandertals are divergent. Modern Humans, for example, are the only people who lack brow ridges. We are the only ones who have seriously shortened faces. We are the only ones with very reduced internal nasal cavities. We also have a number of detailed features of the limb skeleton that are unique.

"Every paleontologist will define the traits a little differently," Trinkaus admits. "If you really wanted to, you could make the case that Neandertals look stranger than we do. But if you are reasonably honest about it, I think it would be extraordinarily difficult to make Neandertals more derived than Modern Humans."

[skinkinthegrass]

Ahhh, Yes, The Original OL's Sixth Finger.....one of the best.

[Alter Kaker]

My apologies -- I confused you with the poster who responded to you.

[patton]

Thank you. I was about to take umbrage. ;)

[ASA Vet]

I was about to take umbrage.

I still cringe when I see five of those letters displayed together in public.

[Vicomte13]

"Dog, we came from opposite poles of existence when we met on the road of life. What, then, can be the meaning of this love for me that has sprung up in your little heart?
- Anatole France

[skinkinthegrass]

...fine dog / well trained. :D

[Vicomte13]

Don't be picky. Substitute "A pointy stick". A chimp could kill a lion with a pointy stick. Men do.

[ASA Vet]

I watched it probably a dozen times.
She uses some standard hand signals, and several she apparently made up herself.
Excellent trainer, and the dog obviously is enjoying it's self.
The dog's eye contact is outstanding.

[ASA Vet]

It's self???? Obviously time for me to go to bed and dream about grammar.

[Ben Chad]

good one

[BRITinUSA]

This link below seems to indicate there is no DNA link between Neanderthal and homo-sapiens, the article in this forum entry seems to indicate the same from a bone point of view.

http://www.accessexcellence.org/WN/SUA10/neander797.html

So taking the two articles together does this indicate that may not have evolved from apes and if so where did we come from ?

[null and void]

Katrina man..or what ever his scientific name is...

Homo Novorleanus...

[non-anonymous]

Maybe God decided to throw a wrench into the monkey works? =)

[null and void]

*groan*

[Coyoteman]

So taking the two articles together does this indicate that may not have evolved from apes and if so where did we come from ? [emphasis added]

We are most likely evolved from archaic humans, rather than Neanderthal. The line from ape-like critters to archaic humans to modern humans is reasonably clear, with Neanderthal as a side branch. The fact that we are did not evolve from Neanderthal does not mean we did not evolve from ape-like critters. This is shown in the chart below:

Source: http://wwwrses.anu.edu.au/environment/eePages/eeDating/HumanEvol_info.html

[mysterio]

Lately I've been wondering if male pattern baldness is just the species progressing to the further shedding of useless hair. As in eventually humans will be completely hairless as a species.

I know it doesn't really relate to the article, but I'm just saying.

[Sabatier]

Fascinating!

[MHGinTN]

"The childhood learning window is closed. New learning is largely foreclosed, at least at the rate of the young." I've been watching cattle for more than a decade now, on the farm where I live. The little calves sure seem curious and alert and actually inquisitive and adventurous ... while they're still suckling. But when they switch to mostly grass, their entire learning process seems to shift to a dull meander about the pastures. They stop being inquisitive in the same way as when their diet was bolstered with the proteins in milk. I've often wondered if there was some scientific explanation for this observed phenomenon (at least, observed by me that way, but what do I know). Thanks for posting the neotony notion. Interesting ...

Incidentally, chimps use tools even if they haven't started making 'tools' to bash predators. When they start burying their dead, look out ... humankind's time on earth will be drawing to a close.

[zeugma]

Interesting. Something to file away for future thought. Thanks!

[zeugma]

Lately I've been wondering if male pattern baldness is just the species progressing to the further shedding of useless hair. As in eventually humans will be completely hairless as a species.

I was thinking the exact same thing a couple of days ago. If it's true, that means I'm a genetically advanced human! :-)