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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. "

5 of 503 comments (clear)

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

  3. 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;
  4. Re:No way! by MicrosoftRepresentit · · Score: 5, Funny

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

  5. 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...