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Opposable Thumbs and Upright Walking Caused By "Junk DNA"
quinnlynn writes "A group of research scientists at Yale discovered that the evolution of opposable thumbs and upright walking in humans is due to changes in the genome in the areas still classified as "junk DNA." Quoting: 'Results from a comparative analysis of the human, chimpanzee, rhesus macaque and other genomes reported in the journal Science suggest our evolution may have been driven not only by sequence changes in genes, but by changes in areas of the genome once thought of as "junk DNA." ... Researchers have long suspected changes in gene expression contributed to human evolution, but this had been difficult to study until recently because most of the sequences that control genes had not been identified. In the last several years, scientists have discovered that non-coding regions of the genome, far from being junk, contain thousands of regulatory elements that act as genetic "switches" to turn genes on or off.'"
Yale has also recently completed sequencing the Trichoplax genome. Trichoplax has the simplest known animal genome, and it shares 80 percent of its genes (comprised of 98 million base pairs) with humanity. Professor Stephen Dellaporta was quoted saying, "We are [excited] to find that Trichoplax contains shared pathways and defined regulatory sequences that link these most primitive ancestors to higher animal species. The Trichoplax genome will serve as a type of 'Rosetta Stone' for understanding the origins of animal-specific pathways."
When shall we welcome our furry, opposable thumbed overlords. Could Douglas Adams had been right all along?
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
In the last several years, scientists have discovered that non-coding regions of the genome, far from being junk, contain thousands of regulatory elements that act as genetic "switches" to turn genes on or off.
...Biologists discover "flags". Seriously, these guys should just bring a programmer on-staff — preferably assembly, as decoding the arcane secrets of all Earth life should be a breeze for anyone whose day job involves the x86 instruction set.
How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
Maybe.
I salute your 19th century soapbox rant about the 21st century! You sir, are the epitomy of human evolution!
I'm glad I can now scientifically justify why I like a little junk in the trunk.
Don't worry if you're a kleptomaniac, you can always take something for it.
Our DNA has a goddamn registry.
Does it share 90% of schematics with Core 2?
Junk DNA is a prediction of evolutionary biology. Intelligent Design theory, on the other hand, predicts that there can be no such thing as junk DNA because an intelligent designer would not purposely design junk. So the OP is right; this is more proof that evolution is wrong. What do evolutionists have to say to that? ahahaha...
Why was the parent modded down as flamebait? Is it because it is telling an inconvenient truth to the atheist moderators on Slashdot? I think so.
It is true that junk DNA is a prediction of evolutionary biology. And it is true that ID predicts that there is no junk DNA for the simple reason that an intelligent designer does not design junk.
You just can't take the truth when it contradicts your Darwinist/atheist agenda.