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Hunt for ancient human molecules (Amazing Story!)
BBC ^ | Published: 2004/02/16 22:21:33 GMT | By Richard Black

Posted on 02/16/2004 4:34:29 PM PST by vannrox

Hunt for ancient human molecules

By Richard Black


BBC science correspondent in Seattle


New technologies may soon allow scientists to identify some of the genes of humankind's oldest ancestors.

This raises the possibility of plotting the evolutionary tree of humanity from five million years ago to the present.

Professor Hendrik Poinar says DNA fragments should be recoverable from fossils that are a million years old, and proteins from even older times.

His comments came at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in Seattle.

Professor Poinar, from McMaster University in Canada, said the key was to find fossils preserved so well that samples had not been degraded.

DNA, the biomolecule in cells that carries the "code of life", starts to fall apart rapidly under unfavourable conditions.

Proteins, on the other hand, which build and maintain the body and are constructed from information in the DNA, are more robust.

Beyond theory

The oldest protein from a fossil analysed so far was extracted from a bison (

Bison priscus

) which died 55,000 years ago.

The animal died in Siberia, where the intense cold acted like a natural deep freeze.

A team led by Christina Nielsen-Marsh, of Newcastle University, UK, extracted and identified samples of a bone protein called osteocalcin.

But Professor Poinar, who works out of McMaster's department of anthropology, believes we can go back substantially further.

"DNA, for example; in theory it should survive for about 100,000 years," he told BBC News Online.

"In reality, the oldest reproducible sequences go back around 300,000, so already we're beyond theory.

"But I think small fragments could survive for a million years, in a cold climate."

In 2001, a claim was made for the recovery of 1.8-million-year-old DNA found in a specimen taken from South Africa's Sterkfontein Caves, famous for their remains of ancient human-like creatures. But it was a claim that was greeted with wide scepticism.

However, the more durable proteins, Professor Poinar believes, could survive in samples as old as five million years.

That would take researchers back in time to beyond even "Lucy", the Ethiopian hominid that lived 3.2 million years ago and is thought to have given rise to the

Homo

line which ended in modern humans.

Location, location

From proteins, scientists can deduce genetic sequences which could be compared with equivalent genes in modern humans, enabling researchers to work out phylogenetic pathways and provide better information on what our ancient ancestors might really have looked like.

But where the sample is found and how it was preserved will be crucial.

"Realistically, permafrost and ice are the best places," Professor Poinar said. "If that is not possible, I would go for caves.

"You can go into caves and they can maintain constant conditions of temperature and humidity over long periods of time, even though the outside temperature may be way above what it is inside the cave."

After samples of a protein have been extracted, they must be analysed, using a relatively new technique known as time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

It is a slow but highly sensitive process that allows researchers to work out the protein's component parts. And from this information, scientists can reconstruct the genetic sequence that gave rise to the protein.

But Professor Poinar told the AAAS meeting that nothing could be accomplished without finding the right samples.

Relics of relatively modern human relatives such as Neanderthals have been found in caves. More samples of older hominids from similar sites would be most welcome, he said.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ancient; archaeology; cave; clone; crevolist; dna; gene; ggg; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; history; man; molecules; past; sitchin; treeoflife
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To: Joee
Evolution leaves you with that major problem to explain.

What major problem?

Which was 1st the chickens or the eggs?

The eggs. Egg-laying critters were around for quite some time before chickens appeared.
41 posted on 02/17/2004 1:03:43 PM PST by Dimensio (I gave you LIFE! I -- AAAAAAAAH!)
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To: Dimensio
Ever notice that only the names change, but the song remains the same? Weird. Like there's some assembly line somewhere that just pops a new one out every few minutes or so...
42 posted on 02/17/2004 1:13:49 PM PST by general_re (Remember that what's inside of you doesn't matter because nobody can see it.)
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To: Joee
I have done some reading on Creation vs Evolution and can find no evidence to support Evolution when it comes down to the nitty gritty.

I too have done some reading on this subject and can find no evidence to support Creation when it comes down to the nitty gritty.
43 posted on 02/17/2004 1:14:46 PM PST by radioman
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To: general_re
Ever notice that only the names change, but the song remains the same?

Kind of, but some are more coherent than others, even if all of them appeal to faulty reasoning and discredited science. The more recent batch that I've seen lately is far less articulate than some of the previous offerings. Joee doesn't even seem to be trying to prove a point, he just seems to be pulling random buzzphrases from very poorly-written creationists tracts, except that he doesn't have them on hand so he's resorting to memory and it's been years since he read them.

Same song, different artist. Kind of like lots of cover bands playing music originally written by Kent Hovind. They don't reproduce it well, but the tune wasn't that good to begin with.
44 posted on 02/17/2004 1:19:32 PM PST by Dimensio (I gave you LIFE! I -- AAAAAAAAH!)
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To: Joee
No disrepect intended, but you really aren't educated enough in the subject matter to disprove evolution with any credibility.
45 posted on 02/17/2004 1:28:08 PM PST by StolarStorm
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To: general_re
"Ever notice that only the names change, but the song remains the same? Weird. Like there's some assembly line somewhere that just pops a new one out every few minutes or so..."

It's caused by wholesale brainwashing of the immature mind. These poor fellows never had a chance.
46 posted on 02/17/2004 1:31:32 PM PST by StolarStorm
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To: Joee
Eggs came first. Not even close.

Speaking of fowl, are bats considered fowl?
47 posted on 02/17/2004 1:33:57 PM PST by whattajoke (Neutiquam erro.)
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To: Joee
To date, not one attempt has succeeded in proving evolution.

However weak the scientific evidence for evolution may be, it is significantly stronger than the scientific evidence for creationism. To date, to my knowledge, not one attempt has succeeded in scientifically proving that our existence is the result of the whim of an omnipotent being. The fact that proponents of creationism spend more time trashing evolution than attempting to prove their own theory speaks volumes about the merits of both.

48 posted on 02/17/2004 1:45:28 PM PST by ForOurFuture
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To: whattajoke
"Speaking of fowl, are bats considered fowl?"

No, but that stuff on the cave floor sure is.

49 posted on 02/17/2004 2:22:03 PM PST by misanthrope (GO BIG "E"!!)
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To: ForOurFuture
I'm sure you are at peace with your findings, as I am with mine. When your time is due, I guess the ooze will claim your body and soul(?) as apparently you were here on a "unplanned" mission. Good luck!
50 posted on 02/17/2004 4:29:48 PM PST by Joee
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To: Joee
Good luck!

Thank you.

51 posted on 02/17/2004 4:57:29 PM PST by ForOurFuture
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To: ChicagoHebrew
"I say clone 'em. That would be the best way to learn about human evolution-- by studying a new, living "ancestor"

Not so fast! I know a 'closet Neanderthal'. I'll introduce you to her. Tell me if you still want to clone her:)

52 posted on 02/17/2004 5:10:18 PM PST by BobS
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To: ChicagoHebrew
I've been wondering when the "gold rush" will start on historical DNA. Would it be legal to clone, say, Marilyn Monroe and then raise her for nefarious purposes? I dunno, way past my pay grade. The possibilities are endless. Some of us are walking around with veritable "gold mines" with respect to the DNA we may or may not carry. Generally, if not necessarily specifically, this DNA information is worth untold millions. Should I be able to make money, because I had the wisdom and foresight to have good ancestors?
53 posted on 02/17/2004 5:15:48 PM PST by Freedom4US
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To: PatrickHenry
LOLOL! Whew! I'm in good company.
54 posted on 02/17/2004 7:36:32 PM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: Joee
As for me, I prefer to believe I am the product of divine planning, put on this orb to meet certain criteria and destined to do further work for the Lord in eternity.

So, basically, your entire sense of self-worth is based upon belief in a few non-scientifically or historically supported chapters in a book.

You know, afro-centrists claim that, despite evidence to the contrary, all of western civilization is based on concepts and technology stolen from a mythic African civilization. By your lights, they might be right.

55 posted on 02/18/2004 4:15:15 AM PST by Junior (No animals were harmed in the making of this post)
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To: Joee
In fact, in todays world, the evolution theory…

It has long been referred to as “evolution science”, about the only people who continue to use the term “theory” are those ignorant of the science.

56 posted on 02/18/2004 4:21:13 AM PST by R. Scott (My cynicism rises with the proximity of the elections.)
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To: Joee
That's exactly what I have been saying. There is no valid evidence of Evolution.

There is also no valid evidence for religious Creationism. Why should you demand harder evidence for science than for Creationism?
I personally believe that the Earth was formed when the Great Turtle rose from the primordial chaos. It‘s as good as any other religious genesis.


57 posted on 02/18/2004 4:29:53 AM PST by R. Scott (My cynicism rises with the proximity of the elections.)
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Not a ping, just a GGG update.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest
-- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

58 posted on 04/04/2005 11:02:43 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (last updated my FreeRepublic profile on Friday, March 25, 2005.)
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see that, raise ya... ;')

PRESERVED T. Rex Soft Tissue RECOVERED (Pic)
Star Tribune | 03.24.05 | Randolph Schmid
Posted on 03/24/2005 12:04:54 PM PST by wallcrawlr
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1369945/posts


59 posted on 12/30/2005 6:39:56 PM PST by SunkenCiv ("In silence, and at night, the Conscience feels that life should soar to nobler ends than Power.")
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Just updating the GGG information, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

60 posted on 12/30/2005 6:40:15 PM PST by SunkenCiv ("In silence, and at night, the Conscience feels that life should soar to nobler ends than Power.")
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