NEANDERTHALS MATED WITH MODERN HUMAN

Neanderthals are best known and least understood in all of human ancestors. Neanderthals were powerfully-built species and they were evolved to cope with the changing climate of Ice Age Europe. Their brains were larger than modern human and they were more robust and heavily built than human (3).

The scientists found a hybrid skeleton of a four year old boy (which was found in Portugal and the skeleton had both human and Neanderthals characteristics (3). The skeleton had a pronounced chin and teeth of modern human, but its sturdy limbs were more characteristics of the Neanderthals. From the skeleton found the scientist believe that Neanderthals interbreed with modern human.

Mark Stoneking of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany did a genetic variation between modern human and Neanderthals and the DNA showed that the two species were interbreeding(1). Some researchers said that modern human and Neanderthals did not interbreed because they were reproductively incompatible (2). Professor Lupo (4) said that Neanderthals interbred with some of the modern humans and that there is a little bit of Neanderthals in each person.

Neanderthals were powerfully-built species and they were evolved to cope with the changing climate of Ice Age Europe. Their brains were larger than modern human and they were more robust and heavily built than human (3).
Some researchers said that modern human and Neanderthals were physically isolated from each other so it was difficult for them to have interbreeded with each other (2).

From the skeleton that they have found it shows that modern human and Neanderthals interbreeded because the skeleton had both features of a modern human and Neanderthals. The skeleton inherited the features of both but other scientists do not agree that modern human and Neanderthals mate.

Reference:
1. www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/ 20050223/news_1c23neander.html
2. www.discover.com/issues/ sep-95/features/theneanderthalpe558/
3. http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20050919/neanderthal.html
4. www.wsu.edu/DrUniverse/nean.html

 

 

Lethabo Mosomane
CSIR
Pretoria
0001
Tel: 27 12 841 2133
Fax: 27 12 842 3676

ABSTRACT

THE AFRICAN APE -MAN'S HAND UNEARTHED


ABSTRACT


The hand of the African Ape was uncovered at the cave of Sterkfontein, South Africa, by Dr Ron Clarke and his assistants.  It was a hand of Australopithecus.  According to palaeomagnetic analysis, they indicated that the creature must have died at least three comma three million years ago.  The team of Dr Clarke used the stalagmites in the curve to get more accurate dating for when the skeletal remains were laid down.


The hand and arm were not removed after discovering.  They are still encased in the rocks even today but they will be removed for laboratory. The hand was believed to give the new insight into Australopithecus behavior, anatomy and also to tell something about how humans hands and arms evolved.  Clarke was on yet prepared to say which species belong to; he said that it does appear to be an australopithecine.  The fingers were curved like those of Australopithecus afarensis indicating that they were probably used to climbing.  The arrangement of bones indicated that the left arm stretched above the head with the fingers clenched. Clarke has believed that the hominid spent most of time in the trees.  The view was strengthened by nature of the bones which were discovered.

Dr Clarke believed that excavation at the lower level will eventually lead to the discovery of the rest of the skeleton.  And in particular the upper part of the thigh bones.  It will be simple to compare the leg length and arm length. This will also help to compare with modern apes which have long arms with relative to leg length.  Because the hand bones of the skeleton are similar length to that of the modern humans but the thumb are powerful constructed.



Reference

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/566187.stm

 

 

Masiya Kedibone
CSIR Pretoria
0001
Cell No : 073 2519071
Tel No: 012 8412123
Fax : 012 842 3676
E-mail :kmasiya@csir.co.za
weblog: http://kedimasiya.blogspot.com/

Abstract

THE AFRICAN APEHAND UNEARTHED


ABSTRACT


The hand of the African Ape was uncovered at the cave of Sterkfontein, South Africa, by Dr Ron Clarke and his assistants.  It was a hand of Australopithecus. According to palaeomagnetic analysis, they indicated that the creature must have died at least three comma three million years ago.  The team of Dr Clarke used the stalagmites in the curve to get more accurate dating for when the skeletal remains were laid down.


The hand and arm were not removed after discovering. They are still encased in the rocks even today but they will be removed for laboratory. The hand was believed to give the new insight into Australopithecus behavior, anatomy and also to tell something about how humans hands and arms evolved.  Clarke was on yet prepared to say which species belong to; he said that it does appear to be an australopithecine.  The fingers were curved like those of Australopithecus afarensis indicating that they were probably used to climbing.  The arrangement of bones indicated that the left arm stretched above the head with the fingers clenched. Clarke has believed that the hominid spent most of time in the trees.  The view was strengthened by nature of the bones which were discovered.

Dr Clarke believed that excavation at the lower level will eventually lead to the discovery of the rest of the skeleton.  And in particular the upper part of the thigh bones.  It will be simple to compare the leg length and arm length.  This will also help to compare with modern apes which have long arms with relative to leg length.  Because the hand bones of the skeleton are similar length to that of the modern humans but the thumb are powerful constructed.



Reference

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/566187.stm

 

 

Masiya Kedibone
CSIR Pretoria
0001
Cell No : 073 2519071
Tel No: 012 8412123
Fax : 012 842 3676
E-mail :kmasiya@csir.co.za
weblog: http://kedimasiya.blogspot.com/