Honest question: every child of every mother has mitochondrial DNA. Every human being alive now has it, and it’s all “ancient” otherwise there has been cross breeding with some “new” species. Is this “new” species Neanderthal, and if so what is the putative age of Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA? Or, were those African women so appealing and so fecund that there is no Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA remaining? This all sounds so political to me rather than scientific, favoring all the favored groups and continents, so pardon me for being skeptical.
The politics controlling science also troubles me. When it comes to genetic ancestral research & mapping, I don’t put much faith even in the raw data.
That's what I like about FR - people who have a different perspective on events. Thanks!
“This all sounds so political to me rather than scientific, favoring all the favored groups and continents, so pardon me for being skeptical.”
I have the same level of skepticism.
Today in everything, including science, the political agenda comes first and then whatever cherry picked (or even fabricated) data or “evidence” they manage to scrounge up in support of that agenda.
The rational default position today should be to question everything from everybody, including our side.
Gaslighting is the most prevalent public activity today, and like the movie, it is literally driving people crazy.
Yes everyone has it and yes it's all ancient. There is a slow rate of change in the mitochondrial DNA due to mutation, which is what allows us to group and date populations.
"Is this “new” species Neanderthal, and if so what is the putative age of Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA? Or, were those African women so appealing and so fecund that there is no Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA remaining?"
It's not clear what your question is here. You've premised some "new species" on mitochondrial DNA not being ancient, then proceeded as if this was a fact.
"This all sounds so political to me rather than scientific, favoring all the favored groups and continents, so pardon me for being skeptical."
Nothing raised here suggests politics in the study of mitochondrial DNA.
To muddle your brain, mine and others who dare to ask, “How much pc crap is involved in the African DNA and some other DNA’s, please take a minute to read my reply to muddy the DNA water even more.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3808053/posts?page=30#30
Cross breeding between Neanderthal and Heidelbergensis produced a hybrid which may or may not have been Denisovans who interbred with Neanderthal to produce still another hybrid who interbred with Cro-Magnon. None of which happened in Africa, but rather Asia. Europeans and Asians have Denisovan and Neanderthal mDNA, Africans do not. Modern humans with Asian or European descent are essentially Heidelbergensis/Neanderthal/Denisovans/Cro-Magnon hybrids.
The whole Out-of-Africa meme is under serious scientific mDNA and blood group tracings pressure; this study may well be an attempt to reassert it. That the reassertion carries some political baggage is a clue as to the assertions goal.
Nature, original paper abstract
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1714-1
Wiki says: “No evidence of Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA has been found in modern humans. This suggests that successful Neanderthal admixture happened in pairings with Neanderthal males and modern human females.”
So no “human” guys “sampled” Neanderthal women???