#DNA & Stonehnge builders
4 messages in this thread
Re: Mitochodrial DNA
I may have read this or at least similiar articles a while back while writing a
paper about mDNA research and ancient asian migrations to the americas. Very
interesting.
The conflicts I spoke of between paleoanthropologists and geneticists arise
from the estimation of the time period that the human branch seperated from
other hominids. I don't remember the details, and I don't have my notes (having
just moved). You may be familiar with it however.
In any case, I love a good uproar between biology and anthropology. Myself
believeing that biology is a "harder" science. (no flames please) <g>
>> In any case, I love a good uproar between biology and anthropology. Myself
believeing that biology is a "harder" science. (no flames please) <g> <<
Wooooossshhh (that was the flame lighting up)
I'm a biological anthropologist, and our stuff is at least as hard as any
biologists!
Cheers,
GTL
>> Wooooossshhh (that was the flame lighting up)
I'm a biological anthropologist, and our stuff is at least as hard as any
biologists!<<
Ooops! Guess you're right. Well, it's just that many anthropologists I have met
(mostly paleo kind) use their bones and so forth as gospel and sneer at some
new genetic methods that contradict older theories.
Not as familiar with biological anthropology, give me a quick rundown on your
speciality. BTW, don't get me wrong, I think anthropology is facinating. It is
just some of the practicioners I am wary of. The "hard" <g> evidence of bone
fragments is compelling, but there is too much uncertainty (IMHO) to sneer at
other sciences.
Rick
My feeling at this time is that those who still maintain bone-based
phylogenies in the face of molecular data are not numerous and are clearly not
in a position to gain much respect from the rest of the field. On the other
hand, it is also becomming clear that the dna evidence has the same problems
that modern mophological evidence has, in many ways! And, as yet, we can't
look at hominid radiations with DNA…
My own field is human evolution, esp. the evolution of human foraging ecology.
Cheers,
GTL
Greg Laden
Dept. of Anthropology
Harvard University
Cambridge MA 02138