Scientific American...What makes us Human? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 12-09-2012, 11:34 AM

This is a special edition which I picked up from the impulse rack at Barnes and Noble. It is chock full of early human stuff such as:
1. How our ancestors came to walk upright....it was safer in the savanna.
2. Why we have no fur....(not much anyway)....it is easier to cool our hot brain.
3. What differences in our bodies is different from Chimps....we have genes which allow us to digest Milk and other high nutrition foods, allowing development of a big brain. (our brain consumes 18% of our caloric intake) while comprising 2% of our body mass).
4. Cooking food makes it easier to digest so getting enough calories easily also fostered big brain development.
5. Longer life brought grandparents into the family stucture which allowed more time to pass on learned activities.
6. When there was huge climate changes in the past a small population of humans survived by the ocean in South Aftrica by eating shellfish and root plants similar to carrots and potatoes which thrived there.
7. How many of us have Neandertal genes (I'd bet i do). This may have helped with resistance to diseases.
8. an article about the "Hobbits" the 39" tall humans found in a cave in Indonesia.

16 articles in all. All fascinating stuff (for me). If you like all this ancient stuff this is a great purchase. Ask for it in your stocking.

davidmash · #2 12-09-2012, 11:53 AM

Stop promoting these lies. The world is only 6,000 years old give or take several billion years. Next thing you will be claiming that we have a common ancestor with primates... OH wait.......you dirty bastard.

suginami · #3 12-09-2012, 12:14 PM

I read recently that Europeans have 2-4% Neanderthal genes.

t walgamuth · #4 12-09-2012, 12:23 PM

yes....I believe that is an average.

oldsinner111 · #5 12-09-2012, 12:24 PM

I don't think we are that human yet maybe in two milion years or longer.A human wouldn't kill his brother,or loan shark a brother.A human would manage his planet with respect,perhaps then a human would be allowed to travel the stars.
I think we have a long way to go,till we earn the name human.

suginami · #6 12-09-2012, 12:26 PM

The same article I read also said that Asians have 2-4% Denisovian genes in their DNA.

"Neandertals and Denisovans were more closely related to one another than either was to modern humans. The analysis suggests that the modern human line diverged from what would become the Denisovan line as long as 700,000 years ago—but possibly as recently as 170,000 years ago."

TwitchKitty · #7 12-09-2012, 01:51 PM

A very large part of the naturally occurring cholesterol in your body is in your brain. The brain is a fatty organ. So when you take cholesterol drugs guess where they are going to have the most impact. And when you eat processed fats and chemically altered fats, guess where they are going to have the most impact.

t walgamuth · #8 12-09-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suginami

The same article I read also said that Asians have 2-4% Denisovian genes in their DNA.

"Neandertals and Denisovans were more closely related to one another than either was to modern humans. The analysis suggests that the modern human line diverged from what would become the Denisovan line as long as 700,000 years ago—but possibly as recently as 170,000 years ago."

I'll have to search for denisovans. I have not remembered ever seeing that before.

pj67coll · #9 12-09-2012, 03:13 PM

Interesting. Thanks for the heads up Tom. I might just suggest that for the stocking. Might just be the only thing in it this year...

- Peter.

t walgamuth · #10 12-09-2012, 03:57 PM

OK so it appears to be relatively new this denisovans stuff. Interesting. I have always thought that the Aboriginal people of Australia are quite different looking from any other humans and thought that they must be an ancient strain of humans...

I also have long thought that perhaps all this talk about Africa being the cradle of humanity might eventually be proven wrong....that perhaps it is actually asia or somewhere else....that it just so happens that it is possible to find ancient fossels in Africa and not so easy other places.

pj67coll · #11 12-09-2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

OK so it appears to be relatively new this denisovans stuff. Interesting. I have always thought that the Aboriginal people of Australia are quite different looking from any other humans and thought that they must be an ancient strain of humans...

I also have long thought that perhaps all this talk about Africa being the cradle of humanity might eventually be proven wrong....that perhaps it is actually asia or somewhere else....that it just so happens that it is possible to find ancient fossels in Africa and not so easy other places.

Nope. Africa remains the most likely location.

- Peter.

t walgamuth · #12 12-09-2012, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

Nope. Africa remains the most likely location.

- Peter.

That is the prevailing theory. The reason I keep thinking about the far east is because of the advanced civilizations present in China so long ago.

pj67coll · #13 12-09-2012, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

That is the prevailing theory. The reason I keep thinking about the far east is because of the advanced civilizations present in China so long ago.

Yeah but not actually all that long ago in terms of human evolution nor in terms of the first advances I the Fertile Crescent.

- Peter.

The Clk Man · #14 12-09-2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suginami

I read recently that Europeans have 2-4% Neanderthal genes.

I wear Wal-Mart Brand "Genes".

elchivito · #15 12-10-2012, 08:53 AM

The Denisova cave people are physically better known that Neanderthal, due to a completed DNA sequence - no such sequence has been possible for Neanderthals so far. On the other hand, there is only evidence of their existence from one Siberian cave, while Neaderthal occupations are widespread throughout eurasia.