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Pants Were Optional, 100,000 Years Ago

Posted by timothy on from the lousy-research-methods dept.

RobertB-DC writes "German scientists have used differences in the DNA of lice to determine when humans started wearing clothes. It seems lice are highly specialized -- head lice lay their eggs only on hair, while body lice hide theirs in the folds of clothing. Using the differences in the two species' DNA and a "standard" mutation rate, the scientists determined when clothing-specific lice (and by extention, clothes) came into existence. No comment, though, from Calvin Klein."

4 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. Sadly... by danratherfan · · Score: 5, Funny

    washing clothes wasn't invented until 5,000 years ago.

  2. Hrm... by asdfx · · Score: 4, Funny

    They're not optional now? That probably explains a few things...

  3. This... by FreeMath · · Score: 4, Funny

    comes as no supprise to CmdrTaco, as he has long known that:

    Pants are optional, but recommended for you.

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  4. Re:For follow-up research by Mad+Marlin · · Score: 4, Funny
    I don't see why what I look like matters as much as my ability to do the job and do it well.

    You must be a programmer.

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    Best Slashdot comment ever