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Study Detects Recent Instance of Human Evolution

The New York Times is running a Sunday article regarding new evidence about 'recent' human evolution. A research team at the University of Maryland has done some work looking at the rise of lactose tolerance in the human populations of Africa. From the article: "The principal mutation, found among Nilo-Saharan-speaking ethnic groups of Kenya and Tanzania, arose 2,700 to 6,800 years ago, according to genetic estimates, Dr. Tishkoff's group is to report in the journal Nature Genetics on Monday. This fits well with archaeological evidence suggesting that pastoral peoples from the north reached northern Kenya about 4,500 years ago and southern Kenya and Tanzania 3,300 years ago ... Genetic evidence shows that the mutations conferred an enormous selective advantage on their owners, enabling them to leave almost 10 times as many descendants as people without them. The mutations have created 'one of the strongest genetic signatures of natural selection yet reported in humans,' the researchers write. "

22 of 503 comments (clear)

  1. I welcome our new lactose-intol... by Elminst · · Score: 2, Funny

    Nah.... too easy.

    --
    No unauthorized use. Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.
  2. Re:Speculation, I don't see how it makes a differe by gordonwallace · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Humans that couldnt drink milk found something else to eat." Not to nit pick but when my fridge is out of milk I don't start eating a potatoe, I find something else to DRINK

  3. Re:Speculation, I don't see how it makes a differe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    dan quayle - is that you? ;-)

  4. Re:Bah, forget that by DeeVeeAnt · · Score: 5, Funny

    Unfortunately this will prove to be an evolutionary dead end, as these genes will never be passed on.

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    Home fucking is killing prostitution.
  5. Why go to Africa by jigyasubalak · · Score: 2, Funny

    Didn't we see human evolution pretty close to home? But only backwards;).

    --
    The best planning can be done after the project completes.
  6. Re:They don't explain WHY by Ihlosi · · Score: 5, Funny
    Why does natural selection favor lactase?

    Because you're far more likely to survive the couple of millenia between domesticating cattle and making your first gun if you can tolerate lactose.

  7. Re:Speculation, I don't see how it makes a differe by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

    Touch the monolith, monkey boy.

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  8. Re:No way! by MicrosoftRepresentit · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're far too reasonable, I don't think you'll like it here.

  9. Re:diarrhea. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...OR maybe its simply because lets face it: who wants to have sex with someone with diarrhea??? ...
    You must be new here.
    Just FYI the Internet is full of people like that.
  10. A dangerous and incorrect fallacy by Dobeln · · Score: 3, Funny

    I believe this line of reasoning to be mistaken to some degree - evolution of man and squirrel alike indeed continued apace until ~approx 100 000 years ago, when modern man first left Africa and the laws of evolution ceased to apply to humans, due to the plasticity of spandrels. Hence, positing evolution of humanity is incorrect in timespans extending much further back than a mere 6000 years. After this no evolution whatsoever has taken place among humans, and therefore the article referenced above must be incorrect.

    It is hard to determine if this study and many other recent similar ones implying recent evolution in humans are driven by mere ignorance or if more sinister motives are at work. The author referenced here, one Nicholas Wade, is notable for engaging in ideologically dubious activities, such as his recent book "Before the Dawn". He must be watched closely, or his dangerous line of thinking might be allowed to spread among the easily manipulated masses.

    Prof. Beata Brattenschlick
    Dept. of Deconstruction, University of Copenhagen

    References:

    "Before the Dawn":
    http://www.amazon.com/Before-Dawn-Recovering-Histo ry-Ancestors/dp/1594200793

    "Breakthrough in human genetics":
    http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N22205028 .htm

  11. Re:Milk and Honey by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Which women?

    Eve, lilith (who was obviously evil because she considerd herself an equal of man) or the other one that adam saw being created and was too disgusted to go near after realising she was made of meat.

    Or the other tribes the kane and able encountered during their wanderings?

    Oh you never bothered to read the Kabbalah? Maybe you ought to check the orignal source material...

    There are 2 kinds of people that have read the bible: those that have understood it, and christians.

  12. Re:No way! by masklinn · · Score: 2, Funny

    And it gets modded up.. As insightful at that.. :( Sigh. Note to the OP i don't have anything against you but I wish you wouldn't generalize. Feel free to make fun of the "crazies". It's okay. But don't bring Jesus into stuff like this. He didn't say anything about this kind of thing! His whole existance on this Earth was to set an example as to how we should behave and to give our lives meaning.

    You've got some troubles with irony now don't you?

    --
    "The way we can tell it's C# instead of Haskell is because it's nine lines instead of two." -- wadler
  13. Re:Don't think so. by Manchot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Adult mammals aren't supposed to seek out sources of milk

    I see about a billion websites that beg to differ...

  14. You fucked it up.. by The+Creator · · Score: 2, Funny

    I for one welcome our new loctose-tolerant overloards.

    Execpt that it's too late, it already happend.

    --

    FRA: STFU GTFO
  15. Re:Micro vs Macro by ozbird · · Score: 4, Funny

    According to "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe", Noah was the captain of the B-Ark, which contained the TV salesmen, hairdressers, creationists; plus the DNA samples of each of the animals (to fit them all in the limited cubic-cubits available.) Unfortunately, before the C-Ark (containing the refrigeration mechanics etc.) arrived, the samples had begun to thaw; the scientists (on the A-Ark) did their best, but many mutations had occurred - leading to such monstrosities as the poodle and chiahuaia.

  16. Obligatory by inviolet · · Score: 3, Funny

    In Soviet Russia, lactose evolves tolerance for YOU!

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    FATMOUSE + YOU = FATMOUSE
  17. Re:Why is it always "mutation" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Elsewise, you would probably be dead.

    I am dead, you insensitive clod!

  18. Re:No way! by forgotten_my_nick · · Score: 1, Funny

    >But don't bring Jesus into stuff like this.
    >He didn't say anything about this kind of thing!

    Jesus was very consistent on Evolution. He never said anything about it. So clearly his response was whatever the fanatical Christians believe.

    (with apologies to Colbert)

  19. Re:Milk and Honey by VirusEqualsVeryYes · · Score: 2, Funny
    There are 2 kinds of people that have read the bible: those that have understood it, and christians.
    And those who don't understand binary.
     
    /ducks tomato
  20. Re:Micro vs Macro by Abcd1234 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I always find that bit of biblical correction to be interesting and worth mentioning when it pops up.

    Do you always bring it up without any evidence to corroborate your claim?

  21. Re:Why is it always "mutation" by gowen · · Score: 3, Funny

    Tell your facts to shut up.
    They cannot compete with the sheer truthiness of revealed insight.

    --
    Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
  22. Re:Ah yes, the exception. by RsG · · Score: 2, Funny
    I guess you're talking about the one species where the males keep lots of childlike mannerisms even after reaching physical maturity, like tantrums, the obsession with toys and sources of milk, and crawling, toddling and babbling (after consuming too much alcohol). Touché.
    Aside from the alcohol part, that could describe any domesticated cat. :-)

    Milk - check (as long as they didn't go a long time between being weaned and drinking milk as an adult).

    Crawling/toddling - well, they are quadrupeds.

    Tantrums - oh hell yeah, check.

    Babbling - check. They don't know why they hell they're meowing, they just want you to listen to them.

    Toys - toy mice count, right?

    As far as that goes, I'm pretty sure I could apply these to dogs as well. I know at least one pit bull (belonging to my GF's folks) that fits all of the above except the milk part. :-)
    --
    Erotic is when you use a feather. Exotic is when you use the whole chicken.