Archaeologica.org

You've got it, KB. If it was sterile we wouldn't know it happened and we would not see neanderthal genes showing up in hss dna outisde of Africa but not inside of it. Absolutely true. Neanderthal as well as Denisovan genes are included in the H sapiens genome. Most likely H erectus also, but we don...

I am also a multi-regionalist with the added proviso that I think we are all merely the latest model of Homo Erectus H erectus started out like a full size sedan, but with a 4 cylinder engine. Their bodies from the neck down were incredibly similar to H sapiens today. However, it took 1.5 million y...

I doubt they were separate species in the classic sense of the word. There was enough cross breeding between human types, such as Neanderthals, Denisovans and "unknown others", that introgression of genetic material occurred across genomes where advantage was conferred. By strict definiti...

I suspect that more & more Denisovan fossils will be found in Asia Here's a quote from AP News: "The Nature paper points out similarities to a fossil jaw reported in 2015 that had been dredged by a fishing net off the coast of Taiwan. So maybe the Denisovan range can be extended that far s...

But fail to see a good reason to study something with such a weak foundation. Statistical analysis is used everywhere on a daily basis, from billion dollar advertising campaigns to country population studies to the CDC preventing epidemics to Ford determining how many cars they will sell next year,...

How do you establish that "probability" This is starting to sound like circular reasoning. KB, as opposed to taking you through introductory statistics on this forum, I suggest you pick up a book on the topic and self educate since my recommendation about taking a class obviously went by ...

Where does the 95% come from? KB, in statistics the confidence level is a measure of the reliability of a result. A confidence level of 95% means that there is a probability of at least 95 per cent that the result is reliable. This is a standard when calculating a margin of error. Margin of Error =...

One thing I missed in the original news release is that they are basing a hemispheric theory on 49 samples.

Statistics, KB:

A population sample size of 49 will return a margin of error of 14% at a 95% confidence level. That's appears to be a decent point at which to submit a hypothesis.

How much of the FOXP2 gene has been found in flocking birds or schooling fish? Very interesting comment, KB, since we were discussing primates. For a review of the FOX2P gene, please see this from Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FOXP2 The following article is for Spice since he will know where ...

My opinion of DNA evidence is that it has a lot of human “interpretation.” Even with samples a week old. KB, without DNA evidence I would never have discovered my half-sister, born before my parents were married. We are now the best of friends. Nor would I have been able to definitively trace my pa...

Pre-dating the genetic timeframe in the article is the iron oxide mine (i.e. red ochre) found in Chile and dating from 12,000 years before present: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-05/uocp-auo051811.php Assuming that it would take some time before anyone would discover iron ore in the mo...

While KB is contemplating Broca's Area, I am wondering if the Hobbit had the FoxP2 gene: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 141733.htm

The internal surface of the skull preserves some details of the surface structure of the brain encased within said skull. That is correct. However, we are now moving beyond that type of neuro analysis to something more intriguing: https://nexusnewsfeed.com/article/ancient-mysteries/neanderthal-mini...

Considering that chimps & bonobos also make tools despite their small brain size, why should we be surprised by the Philippine hominids? Actually, Spice, I am not surprised. It is not the size as much as the organizational structure of the brain that matters. I believe the Georgian H erectus sp...

Chimps & bobobos are from the Pan genus. Humans are from the Homo genus... Spice, that's true. However, personally, I believe Hobbits are directly descended from A. afarensis as opposed to the genus Homo, based on its size and morphology. It resembles a 3.2 million year old Lucy more than a dwa...