'Red Deer Cave people' may be new species

[Digit]

A first? Without a doubt!

Roy.

[Minimalist]

They would have had to be hibernating in a bomb shelter.

[Cognito]

I just have a little trouble with the concept of a species-specific volcano.

Min, the Toba HSS bottleneck hypothesis arose before the genetic revelation that (a) HSS interbred with HSN and the Denisovans, and (b) other 'species' were flourishing up until the late Pleistocene / early Holocene. Nobody has bothered to reject the hypothesis since there has been no clearcut alternative put forth as to why HSS tends to be so homogenous, arising from a small group of HSS who apparently numbered about 2-10,000 about 70kya.

Son of Toba Hypothesis = One haplogroup of HSS became genetically more fertile than previous variants and outbred the rest of Pleistocene humanity, eclipsing all others. 'Our' success wasn't due to being more intelligent, adept, courageous, cunning or powerful. It was due to increased fertility.

You're welcome ... no need to thank me.

[Minimalist]

OK.


(My problem with Toba was that it only seemed to kill HSS.... not HNS... or mammoths or sabre-toothed cats or...whatever. Still thought it was odd behavior for a "volcano.")

[Digit]

I'm with Min, either the pros have ignored the death toll amongst other species or it's rubbish as far as I can see.

Roy.