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Bones in South African Cave Reveal New Human Relative


nucklehead

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http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/study-bones-reveal-new-human-relative/ar-AAe8U6E?ocid=spartandhp

Scientists say they've discovered a new member of the human family tree, revealed by a huge trove of bones in a barely accessible, pitch-dark chamber of a cave in South Africa.

The creature shows a surprising mix of human-like and more primitive characteristics — some experts called it "bizarre" and "weird."

And the discovery presents some key mysteries: How old are the bones? And how did they get into that chamber, reachable only by a complicated pathway that includes squeezing through passages as narrow as about 7½ inches (17.8 centimeters)?

The bones were found by a spelunker, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Johannesburg. The site has yielded some 1,550 specimens since its discovery in 2013. The fossils represent at least 15 individuals.

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I always find it fascinating that we had so many early hominid cousins that never really panned out, with us being the only species standing.

Has this been observed with any other species, where one is left surviving while several others perish? (ex. Grizzly bears surviving while polar, panda, black, etc die out).

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I always find it fascinating that we had so many early hominid cousins that never really panned out, with us being the only species standing.

Has this been observed with any other species, where one is left surviving while several others perish? (ex. Grizzly bears surviving while polar, panda, black, etc die out).

Yes.

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I always find it fascinating that we had so many early hominid cousins that never really panned out, with us being the only species standing.

Has this been observed with any other species, where one is left surviving while several others perish? (ex. Grizzly bears surviving while polar, panda, black, etc die out).

Evolution works through random splintering of species. It's not a straight line.

Humans are, however, more effective at killing their competition.

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I always find it fascinating that we had so many early hominid cousins that never really panned out, with us being the only species standing.

I don't really view all human as the same species. If you look at a 4'11 gymnast from Russia next to Lebron James, you are looking at two very different creatures. Different anatomic makeups from head to toe (varying bone density, anatomic ratios etc). Even face shape. People from certain regions of Africa have very wide faces with flared nostrils that almost appear ape like ((similar to the picture in the OP), whereas people from other regions will be very long and slender.

I don't have any formal education on the matter but from a layman's perspective I don't think it is accurate to view all current humans as the same species. Much like there are different cats, dogs, bears etc.

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I don't really view all human as the same species. If you look at a 4'11 gymnast from Russia next to Lebron James, you are looking at two very different creatures. Different anatomic makeups from head to toe (varying bone density, anatomic ratios etc). Even face shape. People from certain regions of Africa have very wide faces with flared nostrils that almost appear ape like ((similar to the picture in the OP), whereas people from other regions will be very long and slender.

I don't have any formal education on the matter but from a layman's perspective I don't think it is accurate to view all current humans as the same species. Much like there are different cats, dogs, bears etc.

You're right, and so are they.

There's been numerous studies and articles confirming the split from Africa and the modern "Human" when Africans lived more in isolation. However, political correctness will not allow a rational discussion of a scientific matter. You can imagine which group of people are the primary blame for this. ^_^

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You're right, and so are they.

There's been numerous studies and articles confirming the split from Africa and the modern "Human" when Africans lived more in isolation. However, political correctness will not allow a rational discussion of a scientific matter. You can imagine which group of people are the primary blame for this. ^_^

Yes because it's "racist" to even suggest the idea... :rolleyes:

Eugenics is a interesting subject...

Obviously we are all the same more or less.. but there are some differences from environmental, etc..

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You're right, and so are they.

There's been numerous studies and articles confirming the split from Africa and the modern "Human" when Africans lived more in isolation. However, political correctness will not allow a rational discussion of a scientific matter. You can imagine which group of people are the primary blame for this. ^_^

You're both idiots.

There is zero scientific evidence to support that Africans are a different species.

Minor differences in appearance do not define a species. Look at dogs. A Chihuahua and a St. Bernard are the same species. Skin color is controlled by a few minor genes and white skin color only takes a few thousand years to evolve.

At no time were African people isolated as you suggest. There has been constant genetic flow around the globe.

Edit: also Lebron James probably has about 30% European genes. He is not a different species than a white gymnast. He's just tall.

There have also been many genetic studies about the genetics of different races and ethnicities. It's by no means a banned subject.

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Well, I have taken some lecture course on Genetics and Evolutionary Biology.

As far as I'm concerned, a speciation event occurs when two populations of one species are isolated from one another (either geographically, random mutation event, etc.) long enough that they undergo enough genetic diversification that they can no longer be bred together and produce viable offspring that can then produce offspring again. Examples of this include ligers and mules, which are both sterile offspring born from two different species (Tiger+Lion, Horse+Donkey respectively). Now, I can't say for sure what would happen if someone had sex with a chimpanzee, but I think its safe to say that there is enough significant differences in our genomes to prevent any viable offspring from being born. If Neanderthals were still alive, then perhaps they'd be compatible with us.

This is why humans are a single species, which are arbitrarily classified into "races", just as dogs are all one species but separated into "breeds".

And as far as I know, the Out of Africa Hypothesis doesn't suggest that one species of hominids split from another that was left behind in Africa, and that what we have today is old Africans and modern humans everywhere else. What it suggests is that a species of modern human migrated out of Africa and then diversified in order to adapt to differences in climate and environment.

There were other hominid species that attempted to leave Africa just like Homo erectus, homo neanderthalensis and homo florensis, Only Homo sapiens sapiens remains, which is us as we evolved from homo erectus, but we do have a significant amount of neanderthal DNA in our genomes, especially those with European ancestry, which would suggest some interbreeding.

But yes, despite our global variation in phenotype, we are all one species.

I don't really view all human as the same species. If you look at a 4'11 gymnast from Russia next to Lebron James, you are looking at two very different creatures. Different anatomic makeups from head to toe (varying bone density, anatomic ratios etc). Even face shape. People from certain regions of Africa have very wide faces with flared nostrils that almost appear ape like ((similar to the picture in the OP), whereas people from other regions will be very long and slender.

I don't have any formal education on the matter but from a layman's perspective I don't think it is accurate to view all current humans as the same species. Much like there are different cats, dogs, bears etc.

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You're both idiots.

There is zero scientific evidence to support that Africans are a different species.

Minor differences in appearance do not define a species. Look at dogs. A Chihuahua and a St. Bernard are the same species. Skin color is controlled by a few minor genes and white skin color only takes a few thousand years to evolve.

At no time were African people isolated as you suggest. There has been constant genetic flow around the globe.

Edit: also Lebron James probably has about 30% European genes. He is not a different species than a white gymnast. He's just tall.

There have also been many genetic studies about the genetics of different races and ethnicities. It's by no means a banned subject.

Fracking thank you

Although you could have stopped here:

You're both idiots.

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There's been numerous studies and articles confirming the split from Africa...

...and the modern "Human" when Africans lived more in isolation...

...political correctness will not allow a rational discussion of a scientific matter...
...You can imagine which group of people are the primary blame for this...

:lol: :lol: :lol: MY SIDES

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I rarely, if ever, will agree with Ambien on even a minor point but Pygmies, San-Tiv (Kalahari Bushmen), and Bantu are all different subspecies compared to everyone outside of Africa.

That is to say, there is more genetic variation inside of African populations than the rest of the world has combined.

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