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Humans Nearly Went Extinct 70,000 Years Ago

Posted by Soulskill on from the come-from-behind-victory dept.

Josh Fink brings us a CNN story discussing evidence found by researchers which indicates that humans came close to extinction roughly 70,000 years ago. A similar study by Stanford scientists suggests that droughts reduced the population to as few as 2,000 humans, who were scattered in small, isolated groups. Quoting: "'This study illustrates the extraordinary power of genetics to reveal insights into some of the key events in our species' history,' said Spencer Wells, National Geographic Society explorer in residence. 'Tiny bands of early humans, forced apart by harsh environmental conditions, coming back from the brink to reunite and populate the world. Truly an epic drama, written in our DNA.'"

4 of 777 comments (clear)

  1. Re:If by 70,000 years ago by Samgilljoy · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    you mean 6000 years ago, and if by a drought you mean a flood, and if by 2000 human beings, you mean one bad-ass yachtsman named Noah and his hot wife Jessica Alba, then I would be inclined to agree. Otherwise I'm afraid this is just another godless article passed off as 'science' by Lucifer-worshipping scientists and their ilk over at CNN.

    Not Lucifer, my friend, Cthulhu.

    Ia fhthagn

  2. Re:The way things are going by kklein · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Y'know, I've noticed over the years that there is a high degree of overlap between people who deny human-caused global warming and those who cannot spell.

  3. Personals ads will cause extinction by LM741N · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Anyone who uses Personals Ads services and sits in front of a computer all day hoping for their Knight In Shining Armor to come rescue them is contributing to the next possible extinction of the human race. It used to be that people met at Church, through school, through the extended family, and through REAL neighborhoods where people knew each other. Other than school, much of that inter-social infrastructure is gone. Couples move out of the city and into sterile suburbs where there is little social contact at all. They they get divorced and the woman is at home in front of her computer all day looking for Mr. Right all over again so the process can repeat itself.

  4. Try this science experiment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Fill a glass with ice water, like all ice up to the top and fill the rest with cold water. It'll be 32.1 degrees or so, just above freezing.

    Now drop a shotglass of boiling water into it. What happens? A bunch of the ice melts, and the water's still 32.1 degrees.