Neanderthals may have shared key DNA for complex language, reshaping when human speech began

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In a first-of-its-kind finding, researchers at University of Iowa Health Care discovered that specific genetic sequences have an outsized impact on humans' language abilities and that these sequences evolved before humans and Neanderthals diverged.

The study's senior author, Jacob Michaelson, Ph.D., Roy J. Carver Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience with the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, describes language as a defining trait of Homo sapiens. While other animals communicate in various ways, humans' propensity for developing and improvising language is unique to Earth's dominant species.
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The FOXP2 gene is the transcription factor located on chromosome 7, often termed the "speech gene," which regulates the activity of other genes to enable proper development of brain circuits required for speech and language. Mutations in FOXP2 cause severe speech and language disorders, eg: childhood apraxia, by affecting synaptic plasticity and motor control.
 
The funny thing was when the racist few were rubbing it in that Europeans have some Neanderthal dna in them, as if that was a bad thing. They were thinking Neanderthals were uncivilised brutes, when in reality they might've been the reason we even exist still thanks to inbreeding and why we have what we have. They had bigger brains then us, were generally hardier and stronger. Survival of the fittest doesn't mean the strongest, the smartest or the hardiest, it literally just means the one that can better fit an environment.
 
Lupus said:
People need to stop thinking of neanderthal as some dumb caveman. It was a pretty complex human species.
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Aaahh back in the day, when times were easy and we didn't need to worry about oil prices.

Just a warm cave fire and some turtle meat for dinner, man those where the good ol days.

Lol
 
DarkStarMonday said:
Aaahh back in the day, when times were easy and we didn't need to worry about oil prices.

Just a warm cave fire and some turtle meat for dinner, man those where the good ol days.

Lol
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More like a hut rather then caves, caves were sporadically used for shelter. Also turtles were more likely to be used during the Age of Sail vs that era.
 
Lupus said:
More like a hut rather then caves, caves were sporadically used for shelter. Also turtles were more likely to be used during the Age of Sail vs that era.
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And the occasional Raptor village raid ?!
 
There is a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA in nearly every human being alive, except those who left Africa. It is between 1.1% and 2.6%

A manifestation of Neanderthal DNA surfaced during the Covid pandemic when it was found that people with a higher proportion of Neanderthal DNA were more susceptible to lung infections than the general population

The Neanderthals did not so much become extinct, but were absorbed into Homo Sapiens through interbreeding. The last specimens died about 40 000 years ago

East Asian populations generally possess the highest proportion of Neanderthal-derived DNA among modern human populations, typically averaging about 2.3–2.6%. While most non-African individuals have 1–2% Neanderthal DNA, studies show East Asian populations have about 40% higher Neanderthal ancestry than European populations
 
chrisc said:
There is a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA in nearly every human being alive, except those who left Africa. It is between 1.1% and 2.6%

A manifestation of Neanderthal DNA surfaced during the Covid pandemic when it was found that people with a higher proportion of Neanderthal DNA were more susceptible to lung infections than the general population

The Neanderthals did not so much become extinct, but were absorbed into Homo Sapiens through interbreeding. The last specimens died about 40 000 years ago

East Asian populations generally possess the highest proportion of Neanderthal-derived DNA among modern human populations, typically averaging about 2.3–2.6%. While most non-African individuals have 1–2% Neanderthal DNA, studies show East Asian populations have about 40% higher Neanderthal ancestry than European populations
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Africans do carry Neanderthal DNA
Not a lot
The researchers found that African individuals on average had significantly more Neanderthal DNA than previously thought—about 17 megabases (Mb) worth, or 0.3% of their genome. They also found signs that a handful of Neanderthal genes may have been selected for after they entered Africans' genomes, including genes that boost immune function and protect against ultraviolet radiation.
But still have, all homo sapien sapien have, remember there was actually an earlier version of us, just simply called homo sapien, they'd look awfully similar to neanderthal
 
There have been 9 variants of homo in the past 200 000 years
Some extinct variants are the Denovisans, Naledi (found in South Africa), erectus, floresiensis and more
 

Forget the caveman myth: Neanderthal brains challenge what we thought we knew​


We appear to have more in common with our Neanderthal cousins than outward appearances would suggest. New research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that the differences between Neanderthal brains and the brains of early modern humans (Homo sapiens) were no greater than the differences we see between various groups of people living today. The findings could challenge the long-held theory about why Neanderthals disappeared around 40,000 years ago.

The popular narrative suggests that Neanderthals were not as smart as the early humans who colonized their territory in Eurasia and ultimately replaced them.
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sciencex.com

Forget the caveman myth: Neanderthal brains challenge what we thought we knew

We appear to have more in common with our Neanderthal cousins than outward appearances would suggest. New research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that the differences between Neanderthal brains and the brains of early modern humans (Homo...
sciencex.com sciencex.com
 
Lupus said:
The funny thing was when the racist few were rubbing it in that Europeans have some Neanderthal dna in them, as if that was a bad thing. They were thinking Neanderthals were uncivilised brutes, when in reality they might've been the reason we even exist still thanks to inbreeding and why we have what we have. They had bigger brains then us, were generally hardier and stronger. Survival of the fittest doesn't mean the strongest, the smartest or the hardiest, it literally just means the one that can better fit an environment.
Click to expand...

Yes, goes back Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species. Evolutdtion and natural selection doesn’t have future plans. It’s literally what works right now in the current environment.

Evolution: You’re a water creature 200 million years ago and need to break away from the sea? Cool let’s figure out how to keep your eggs moist and nurished on dry land.

That’s it. That’s how it started for us. There was no future plans to make us from that point.
 
Priapus said:
Yes, goes back Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species. Evolutdtion and natural selection doesn’t have future plans. It’s literally what works right now in the current environment.

Evolution: You’re a water creature 200 million years ago and need to break away from the sea? Cool let’s figure out how to keep your eggs moist and nurished on dry land.

That’s it. That’s how it started for us. There was no future plans to make us from that point.
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Yup, even though Darwin isn't really referenced much anymore in the 170 years since the book was written, there are still some truths :-). But it's always misunderstood, like survival of the fittest and theory meaning it's not understood :-P.
Forgetting we prove a theory every single day, it's called gravity.
Though still what is the platypus??
 
Lupus said:
The funny thing was when the racist few were rubbing it in that Europeans have some Neanderthal dna in them, as if that was a bad thing. They were thinking Neanderthals were uncivilised brutes, when in reality they might've been the reason we even exist still thanks to inbreeding and why we have what we have. They had bigger brains then us, were generally hardier and stronger. Survival of the fittest doesn't mean the strongest, the smartest or the hardiest, it literally just means the one that can better fit an environment.
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Religious people will let you know they are not evolved from apes (even though humans are still apes lol)
 
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