Confirmed: humans are mutts

We finally have confirmation for scientists' hypothesis that early humans interbred with other pre-human species. And it wasn't only one species -- humans were interbreeding with several species.

All humans whose ancestry originates outside Africa have about 2 percent Neanderthal genomes, and some Oceanic humans, such as Papua New Guineans and Australian Aboriginals, have about 4 percent of their DNA from interbreeding between their human ancestors and Denisovans, whose remains were found in a cave in Siberia’s Altai Mountains.

Wait, it gets even better:

But researchers said the new genomes also suggested that Denisovans interbred with another extinct population of ancient humans who lived in Asia more than 30,000 years ago, and scientists are left guessing who they might have been.

“We don’t have the faintest idea,” says Chris Stringer, a paleoanthropologist at the London Natural History Museum.

Humans = mutts. I say we celebrate this news by picking up a mixed-breed puppy at our local shelter. Aw, look at him. He's so cute!

Neanderthals interbred with modern humans

A few years back, science consistently reported that modern humans never interbred with Neanderthals. I found that news depressing so I was very happy to read a story this morning confirming that non-Africans show evidence of interbreeding with Neanderthals. There is clear evidence of this in our X chromosomes.

It seems this extinct species did not die out completely (i.e., uselessly). They remain a part of us today. I wonder what contributions they made to our genome. Perhaps they passed on attributes that helped us to survive to the present day. I'd like to think so.

If only they were still alive. It would be insanely interesting to learn how we differ from them, not only physically but in terms of mental abilities. We'll never have that opportunity, alas. But they live on in us, and we will take them with us far into the future (if we don't go extinct). Very cool.

And let's not fail to notice a delightful fact that arises unbidden from this bit of scientific news -- only Africans are "pure" homo sapiens. The rest of us are interspecies mongrels. Take that, Fox viewers!

Nifty Neanderthals

In a story on physorg.com today, called "Neanderthals were nifty at controlling fire: study", we learn that Neanderthals weren't dumb creatures. This goes against the incessant, traditional depiction of them as brutes who were "sub-human". Not so.

Apparently they used fire continuously from at least 400,000 years ago through the date of their extinction, only 30,000 years ago. I'm so happy to hear this. I've always thought it was a terrible loss when they went extinct, not only for them, but for us. Just think what it might be like to live alongside a similar but different population of beings, as intelligent as us (more intelligent?), but a different species. I find this inviting.

Alas, this never came to pass but I am delighted to learn that we have a bit of Neanderthal DNA in us -- not much, but some. We interbred at some point in our histories, and perhaps a small part of what "makes us human" actually comes from our Neanderthal DNA. Highly doubtful, but it's a fun idea. 

Aside: It drives me nuts that I can't recall the name or author of a sci-fi book that contained a Neanderthal character and was one of the most panoramic, time-spanning, mind-expanding adventures I've ever read. I'll post the title and author as an update here, if and when I remember this information. Grrrrr! (Maybe that's the Neanderthal in me, huh?)