That's not the only definition of species (although it is important). All sorts of species can reproduce (and produce non-sterile offspring).
I present, the Liger:
Posted on 05/06/2010 1:42:51 PM PDT by Willie Green
For the first time ever, German scientists have drafted a genome sequence for the Neanderthal and believe their results show that the extinct hominid interbred with humans.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig analysed some four billion base pairs of DNA from Neanderthals – a species which died out more than 30,000 years ago. Initial analysis of the resulting genome sequence draft show that Neanderthals left traces of themselves in the genomes of some modern humans, the study published in this month’s journal “Science” revealed.
"The comparison of these two genetic sequences enables us to find out where our genome differs from that of our closest relative," research team leader Svante Pääbo said in a statement.
The DNA fragments came from bones found in Croatia, Russia, Spain and the Neandertal region of Germany. But the scientists had to develop a new method of separating DNA microbes that had lived in the bones for some 40,000 years and the DNA of the Neanderthals themselves, the statement said.
“Over 95 percent of the DNA in one sample originated from bacteria and micro-organisms which colonised the Neanderthal after his death," Pääbo said.
Once they were able to compare the human and Neanderthal genome sequences, they discovered that contrary to the common belief that the two species are not related, it appears the two actually bred enough for traces to appear in between one and four percent of modern human DNA.
"Those of us who live outside Africa carry a little Neanderthal DNA in us," Pääbo said.
The scientists compared the genome sequences for European, Asian and Africans against the Neanderthal, and found that humans outside Africa show traces.
"Neanderthals probably mixed with early modern humans before Homo sapiens split into different groups in Europe and Asia," Pääbo said.
Now the group is working to determine which modern human genes may have come from Neanderthals and whether they provided an evolutionary advantage.
So far they have found genes related to cognitive function, metabolism and cranial features, the collar bone, and rib cage, the statement said.
"We will also decode the remaining parts of the Neanderthal genome and learn much more about ourselves and our closest relative," says Svante Pääbo.
“So Darwinists were wrong when they said Neanderthals were an evolutionary “dead end?””
Do you see any Neaderthals running around?
lol... just clicked on this thread to see what democrat and/or media pics would get posted... browsing now.
Non-African origin is the key line to the article.
“Hey, some of those Nenderthal females in front or a warm fire might build a fire of another kind. ummm ummm ummm :-)”
More likely a big, tough Neanderthal stubled upon the relatively weak homo sapien sapien female, rapes her, and she gets pregnant.
Life was tough.
Do you see any homo erectus?
A little bit of interbreeding with the dominant species doesn’t make them not a dead end. Neanderthals are gone, we’ve got a small amount of trace elements left, but that’s all that’s left.
Yep, since we share most of our DNA with everything alive already.
More bad science - do they need a headline for funding?
Was homo erectus a “dead end?”
Only when I was in Gaza.
>>==========================> "I'd hit it."
This is the line that is rife with peril. Racism will be howled from the rooftops if one group is found to have an advantage over the other.
The neandethals weren’t stupid. Everybody loves a blonde once in a while.
I’d love one right now. Two would be better.
All depends on if they managed to hook into the homo sapiens line or not (one of the big evolutionary questions). If they didn’t, then yes. Anything that’s not part of the chain to an extant species was a dead end. It’s a pretty simple concept really, if the species’ inheritance chain stops then it ended dead.
So easy a Scientist can do it.
Check your early diary entries to see if you made any notes concerning this interbreeding.
Sorry! I don’t do sheep and I don’t do Neanderthals. Please
see tagline.
Barefoot and pregnant around the campfire made us the dominant species?
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