Latest developments in Paleoanthropology

[El Zapato]

This scientist has an enlightened view of how to speak about such theories.  He places them in such a perfect perspective that it is hard not to admire his expertise.: 

The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet

has today decided to award the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Svante Pääbo.

Dr. Pääbo is an excellent speaker, who thoughtfully discusses uncomfortable truths, while not bowing to the European subconscious bias to feel superior.  In simple words, the man is a great thinker.

So, to the point, recent advances suggest that Africans may have been introgressed by a 3rd archaic human subspecies that split off from the Homo Sapiens Sapiens branch before the split of the Neanderthals and Denisovans. This is where one needs to be careful about assumptions and presentation. On Youtube there is a group (more than one is active) that is spreading propaganda regarding human origins by 'suggesting' that the 'Ghost' population was Homo Erectus, while not an invalid possibility, they also imply that Homo Erectus was less 'refined' than the other two archaic groups.  Ok, if one wishes, however, they neglect to include the facts that Homo Erectus was vastly physically more capable and had a larger brain pan than either the Neanderthals or Denisovans. But there is no defining data that requires that 3rd archaic group to be truly Homo Erectus.

As a further point, most modern anthropologists when discussing the ongoing shrinking of modern man's brain capacity they quip that in that light our next stop might be Homo Erectus.

For starters, the initial claim is inaccurate, Africans DO possess Neanderthal genetics, I suppose the origin of it could be debated but they are twisting the realities in general.

 

 

 

[El Zapato]

I love this lady:

 

[El Zapato]

Anybody recall a conversation that took place several months ago. One person asked for documentation.  Here is a recent study that bolsters the original argument...  Not surprising to me, I nailed it.  Forgive my obsequiousness:

 

 

 

Edited February 11 by El Zapato

[El Zapato]

A stylized version of how the spread of the 'bad' gene occurred:

 

 

Edited Sunday at 11:33 AM by El Zapato