Now, THAT’S What I Call ‘Burying the Lead’
“The mismatch between the anatomical and genetic evidence [from a recently discovered fossil] surprised scientists, who are now rethinking human evolution over the past few hundred thousand years.”
–“Baffling 400,000 Clue to Human Origins“; The New York Times (Dec. 4, 2013)
If you’ve been out of the loop today (possibly caught in a snow-related Twin Cities traffic jam), here’s what you missed:
–The Dow Jones dropped a 4th consecutive day.
–The first major snowstorm of the season walloped the Upper Midwest.
–Scientists now think their ideas about human evolution are wrong (or, just the last 400,000 years. Phew!).
Say What?!?
It turns out that — based on DNA evidence just recovered from a 400,000-year fossil fond in Spain — the tree of life (or at least the human part) may include a couple as-yet-to-be discovered branches.
Meanwhile, the branches scientists already know about — involving ancient human ancestors such as the Neanderthals and Denisovans — aren’t related at all the way they’d thought.
Oh, well . . . .
P.S.: Sort of gives ammunition to all the kids who tuned out their science teachers, once upon a time.
