Well, I don't know about you, but I'm a bit Neanderthal...

[ChiChoAndy]

http://news.discovery.com/human/genetics-neanderth...

Maybe Homo Sapien didn't wipe them out as previously though... They just snacked up together and made little babies.

[Eric Mc]

Not altogether surprising. I reckon the Neanderthal genes are coming back to the fore as well.

[trickywoo]

Some more than others

[grumbledoak]

Not really a surprise.

Anyone remember the Russian boxer who lost to the American last year? He looked like he'd been plucked from 30,000 years ago.


EDIT
I think this is him

It's a pretty good demonstration of what we'd be to a Neanderthal.

Edited by grumbledoak on Thursday 21st July 15:35

[Pesty]

Stupid question time.

"If your heritage is non-African, you are part Neanderthal, according to a new study in the July issue of Molecular Biology and Evolution. "

does this mean we are a different species to Africans?

[Mr Sparkle]

Pesty said:

Stupid question time.

"If your heritage is non-African, you are part Neanderthal, according to a new study in the July issue of Molecular Biology and Evolution. "

does this mean we are a different species to Africans?

No, it's quite small percentage of their genes we have but there are also a few other small changes that non-sub-Saharan people have to Sub-Saharan Africans since we parted ways 60,000(?) year ago (the desert acted like a barrier following the ice age) and have been evolving separately until recently. But the difference are small and we are the same species.

[Pesty]

thanks

[RobDickinson]

Dogs are all the same species, not the same breeds... So I assume this is likewise just another genetic variation.

TBH I didnt think interbereeding was possible but it must have been?

[Sam the Mut]

Mr Sparkle said:

No, it's quite small percentage of their genes we have but there are also a few other small changes that non-sub-Saharan people have to Sub-Saharan Africans since we parted ways 60,000(?) year ago (the desert acted like a barrier following the ice age) and have been evolving separately until recently. But the difference are small and we are the same species.

So what defines a species, at what point?

[Mr Sparkle]

Sam the Mut said:

Mr Sparkle said:

No, it's quite small percentage of their genes we have but there are also a few other small changes that non-sub-Saharan people have to Sub-Saharan Africans since we parted ways 60,000(?) year ago (the desert acted like a barrier following the ice age) and have been evolving separately until recently. But the difference are small and we are the same species.

So what defines a species, at what point?

I thought generally it was that two individual could bread and produce viable offspring, but saying that Lions and Tigers can do this and they are different species so ??? don't really know... Anyone? I think there is some debate as to what constitutes a different species since by the nature of evolution something doesn't just become vastly different but is made up of small changes.

So to conclude I would like someone else to answer this question for me.

[CaptainLunarfish]

A species is defined as individuals that can breed to produce fertile offspring, or so I understand it as.

[Pesty]

CaptainLunarfish said:

A species is defined as individuals that can breed to produce fertile offspring, or so I understand it as.

then that would mean Neanderthals were the same species wouldnt it?

[CaptainLunarfish]

Pesty said:

CaptainLunarfish said:

A species is defined as individuals that can breed to produce fertile offspring, or so I understand it as.

then that would mean Neanderthals were the same species wouldnt it?

If the Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens produced fertile offspring than yes

[Funkateer]

CaptainLunarfish said:

Pesty said:

CaptainLunarfish said:

A species is defined as individuals that can breed to produce fertile offspring, or so I understand it as.

then that would mean Neanderthals were the same species wouldnt it?

If the Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens produced fertile offspring than yes

Homo Sapiens Sapiens breeding with Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis

Had the 2 types of humans been separated for longer, then they would probably have separated into 2 distinct species, but this would have needed a few more million years apart.

As an aside, neanderthals tended to have slightly larger brains than sapiens.

[MOTORVATOR]

I'm very confused now.

So what were Adam and Eve?

And how the hell did the all the Homos breed?