From: "Charles Finocchiaro" <cf-AT-optonline.net>
Subject: Re: More on Neanderthals
Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2000 20:35:47 -0400


One thing that has not been addressed is that not all DNA is equal.  The
size of the discrepancy is not nearly as important as the location of the
discrepancy in the genetic code.  If it's in the "garbage" DNA that doesn't
seem to control anything, it doesn't matter.  If it's in the part that
decides whether your brain's going to be the size of a cabbage or a peanut,
it obviously does.  One example of this is one argument which the less
inbred white supremecists have used.  They pointed to the fact that the
difference between white and black DNA is about the same as the difference
between human and chimpazee DNA.  They of course neglected to mention the
POSITION of the strands in question, which is the real issue.

-Charles Finocchiaro
----- Original Message -----
From: Old Goat <olgoat-AT-kdsi.net>
To: Jerald Hellemeyer <bippie-AT-hotmail.com>
Cc: Anarchy Barnyard <anarchy-list-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2000 9:13 PM
Subject: Re: More on Neanderthals


> Jerald Hellemeyer forwarded
> > Neanderthals not human ancestors
>
> > Modern humans do not have Neanderthal ancestors in their family tree, a
new DNA study concludes.  The DNA extracted from the ribs of a Neanderthal
infant buried in southern Russia 29,000 years ago was found to be too
distinct from modern human DNA to be related.
>
> > "There wasn't much, if any mixture, between Neanderthals and modern
humans," said William Goodwin, of the University of Glasgow, UK. "Though
they co-existed, we can't find any evidence of genetic material being passed
from Neanderthals to modern humans."
>
> > The new work, published in the journal Nature, contradicts recent
evidence from ancient remains of a child found in Portugal, which appeared
to combine Neanderthal and human features. Those researchers concluded that
some interbreeding must have taken place.
>
> > The research by Dr Goodwin and his Swedish and Russian colleagues agrees
with the findings of the first analysis of Neanderthal DNA in 1997.
>
> > That study of DNA, taken from the first Neanderthal skeleton found in
the Feldhofer Cave in Germany in 1856, supports the theory that modern
humans replaced Neanderthals.
>
> > According to Dr Goodwin, the DNA sequence from the infant was very
similar to the specimen from the Feldhofer Cave, proving that there was
little diversity among Neanderthals.
>
> > "If they had been very diverse at the DNA level, they could have
encompassed modern humans. The fact that these two Neanderthals are closely
related and not related to modern humans implies that they don't have the
diversity to encompass a modern human gene pool," said Dr Goodwin.
>
> Dr Goodwin obviously never met my uncle Roy.
>
> old goat.
> life is a crap shoot,
> so shut up and roll the dice.
> 
>