Tagged: human evolution

Featured image: Neandertals’ genetic legacy extends into africa

Neandertals’ genetic legacy extends into africa - BioBlog

Alison Campbell • Feb 03, 2020 •

For the last few years it’s been pretty much received wisdom that African populations shared only a tiny proportion of their genes, if any, with Neanderthals. In contrast, other non-African sapiens populations had a small but significant admixture of Neanderthal genes. The underlying reason for this, it’s been assumed, is that Homo sapiens and neandertalensis only bred with each other in Europe … Read More

Featured image: The discovery of a Denisovan jaw bone and what it can tell us

The discovery of a Denisovan jaw bone and what it can tell us - From Past to Present

Michael Knapp • May 09, 2019 •

Last week the discovery of a lower jaw bone of a Denisovan hit the headlines all over the world. Denisovans are a now-extinct species of humans that were closely related to us as well as to Neanderthals. To an outside observer, the excitement of researchers about this find might have appeared a bit over the top. After all, Denisovans have … Read More

Featured image: How palaeolithic humans shaped the modern genome

How palaeolithic humans shaped the modern genome - News

Jean Balchin • Jan 31, 2018 •

When we think about our ancestry, we think about our grandmothers and grandfathers – and, if we have photo albums nearby, or a family member interested in genealogy, we might know a bit more about our great-grandmothers, great-grandfathers, and so on. I remember traveling around Scotland a few years ago, and chancing upon a small churchyard. Every second gravestone, most … Read More

Featured image: The origin of ‘us’: what we know so far about where we humans come from

The origin of ‘us’: what we know so far about where we humans come from - Guest Work

Guest Author • Jan 29, 2018 •

Bernard Wood, George Washington University and Michael Westaway, Griffith University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. The question of where we humans come from is one many people ask, and the answer is getting more complicated as new evidence is emerging all the time. For most of … Read More

Featured image: Human evolution – how do we accommodate new discoveries in our teaching?

Human evolution – how do we accommodate new discoveries in our teaching? - BioBlog

Alison Campbell • Jul 31, 2017 •

What follows is loosely based on a workshop I ran at this year’s Biolive/ChemEd secondary science teachers’ conference. (A most excellent conference, by the way – kudos to those organising & presenting.) I’ve added a bunch of hotlinked references. Back when I was in 7th form (or year 13 – i.e. a rather long time ago), the description of … Read More

Featured image: When did humans first leave Africa?

When did humans first leave Africa? - News

John Kerr • Sep 22, 2016 •

Where did we come from and when did we leave there? These existential questions are at the heart of several human genetics studies published today in the leading journal Nature, all with links to New Zealand. Tracing our genetic roots The now widely accepted ‘Out of Africa’ hypothesis puts Africa as the origin of all modern humans. However, there is still debate … Read More

Featured image: Does Vegetarianism cause a mutation that leads to cancer?

Does Vegetarianism cause a mutation that leads to cancer? - Chthonic Wildlife Ramblings

Brendan Moyle • Apr 01, 2016 •

The short answer. No. Longer answer: Newspapers are fond of stories that breathlessly announce discoveries as revolutionary.  Fossils never add anything to our knowledge incrementally.  They will always rewrite the theory of evolution.  Cancer is another popular target for revolutionary new treatments or causes.  So it was with some skepticism I read that, quote, “Scientists have found vegetarianism can cause a … Read More