Our 3rd extinct cousin genome thoroughly mapped.

[Eastoff]

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-02-entire-genome-extinct-human-decoded.html

The research group took 30 averages, as opposed to the 2 averages from 2 years ago.

 

[jlprk]

Together with their sister group the Neandertals, Denisovans are the closest extinct relatives of currently living humans.

Neanderthals were all female!! I didn't know that!! How did they reproduce??

God I hate this stupid new expression, using "sister" as a synonym for "similar," "related," "associated," etc.

Anyway, the point of the article is that they've pushed back DNA analysis to bones 40,000 years old. I'm sure they'll keep pushing back that limit. Bones slowly lose the chemicals of life and turn into stone fossils because water repeatedly flows through the ground.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-02-entire-genome-extinct-human-decoded.html

The research group took 30 averages, as opposed to the 2 averages from 2 years ago.

That and $1.65 will get you a short coffee from Starbucks.

 

[Eastoff]

Neanderthals were all female!! I didn't know that!! How did they reproduce??

God I hate this stupid new expression, using "sister" as a synonym for "similar," "related," "associated," etc.

Anyway, the point of the article is that they've pushed back DNA analysis to bones 40,000 years old. I'm sure they'll keep pushing back that limit. Bones slowly lose the chemicals of life and turn into stone fossils because water repeatedly flows through the ground.

I don't think the bones ever calcified. I think they were just frozen the whole time in a cave where the average temperature now is freezing.