Republican gene found!

**Inkslinger** · 7th May 2010 04:55 AM

Neanderthal genome reveals interbreeding with humans

How closely are Neanderthals related to us?

They are so closely related that some researchers group them and us as a single species. "I would see them as a form of humans that are bit more different than humans are today, but not much," says Svante Pääbo, a palaeogeneticist at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, whose team sequenced the Neanderthal genome.

The common ancestor of humans and Neanderthals lived in Africa around half a million years ago. After that, the ancestors of Neanderthals moved north and eventually made it to Europe and Asia. Our ancestors, meanwhile, stuck around Africa until about 100,000 years ago before eventually conquering the globe. Neanderthals died out around 28,000 years ago.

How did they sequence the Neanderthal genome?

Bone contains DNA that survives long after an animal dies. Over time, though, strands of DNA break up, and microbes with their own DNA invade the bone. Pääbo's team found ways around both problems with 38,000 and 44,000-year-old bones recovered in Croatia: they used a DNA sequencing machine that rapidly decodes short strands and came up with ways to get rid of the microbial contamination.

My link

**TheHangingChad** · 7th May 2010 07:42 AM

I see what you did there.

I'd be more supportive but I can't figure out what Republicans stand for, so I don't know if I should hate them or not.

**Macduff** · 7th May 2010 10:29 AM

You seem like you have a couple of extra chromosomes yourself Ink.

**patrickt** · 7th May 2010 10:34 AM

Inkslinger: "The common ancestor of humans and Neanderthals lived in Africa around half a million years ago. After that, the ancestors of Neanderthals moved north and eventually made it to Europe and Asia. Our ancestors, meanwhile, stuck around Africa until about 100,000 years ago before eventually conquering the globe. Neanderthals died out around 28,000 years ago."

Let's see, one group moved on and the other sat there. Yep. That would make the neanderthals Republicans, wouldn't it. Then, much later, the others came north and took what the neanderthals had. Yep. Democrats.

**Goldwater** · 7th May 2010 10:59 AM

You gotta admit, Neanderthals share a few Republican traits. For example, Neanderthals didn't live in cities, they regularly invaded neighboring clans, were quite comfortable without any education, and as I understand, didn't have taxes.

**Inkslinger** · 7th May 2010 11:20 AM

[quote name='Macduff' date='07 May 2010 - 12:29 PM' timestamp='1273249792' post='148451']

You seem like you have a couple of extra chromosomes yourself Ink.

[/quote]

Well, I am a drummer....

**Goldwater** · 7th May 2010 11:55 AM

[quote name='Inkslinger' date='07 May 2010 - 10:20 AM' timestamp='1273252855' post='148466']

Well, I am a drummer....

[/quote]

**Bluegrass** · 8th May 2010 03:46 PM

[quote name='Inkslinger' date='07 May 2010 - 01:20 PM' timestamp='1273252855' post='148466']

Well, I am a drummer....

[/quote]

Do the extra chromosomes have anything to do with why drummers spontaneously combust?

"It's called, Lick My Love Pump."