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Studies Find Genetic Signature of Native Australians In the Americas

Applehu Akbar writes: Two new research papers claim to have found an Australo-Melanesian DNA signal in the genetic makeup of Native Americans, dating to about the time of the last glacial maximum. This may move the speculation around the Clovis people and Kennewick man to an entirely new level. Let's hope that it at least shakes loose some more funding for North American archaeology. Ars reports: "The exact process by which humanity introduced itself to the Americas has always been controversial. While there's general agreement on the most important migration—across the Bering land bridge at the end of the last ice age—there's a lot of arguing over the details. Now, two new papers clarify some of the bigger picture but also introduce a new wrinkle: there's DNA from the distant Pacific floating around in the genomes of Native Americans. And the two groups disagree about how it got there."

4 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. Intercourse. by tysonedwards · · Score: 4, Funny

    May I venture a guess that some intercourse was involved in the DNA getting there?

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    Thirty four characters live here.
  2. Someone in America probably opened a pub... by Harold+Halloway · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...and needed some people to work there.

    1. Re:Someone in America probably opened a pub... by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

      The first H1B

      The ad: "Wanted: fisherman, brewer, chicken farmer, corn farmer, weaver, arrow-point maker, haruspicist, spail chekker, and juggler. C++ a plus (no pun intended). Must not have a family to distract you, can work long hours without complaining, and at 20% below prevailing wages. And won't rat-fink on us to the local labor board."

  3. Re:DNA Is for cows. by Harold+Halloway · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's a low commwnt.