John Relethford's commentary on the ancient mtDNA found in a modern human
skeleton dating to 60,000 years ago has some interesting statements (for
those who might be new and not know what I am talking about see
http://www.calvin.edu/archive/asa/200101/0123.html):
“The basic difference between African replacement and multiregional
evolution advocates is between those favoring speciation and replacement and
those favoring evolution within a single species.” John H. Relethford,
“Ancient DNA and the origin of Modern Humans,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,
98(2001):2:391-391, p. 390
**
“Adcock et al.’s work does not reject an African replacement model, because
the data do not provide inference as to the actual origin of the first
modern humans in Australia, but it does cast doubt on the conclusion that
the absence of ancient mtDNA in living humans implies replacement. If the
mtDNA present in a modern human (LM3) can become extinct, then perhaps
something similar happened to the mtDNA of Neandertals. If so, then the
absence of Neandertal mtDNA in living humans does not reject the possibility
of some genetic continuity with modern humans.” John H. Relethford, “Ancient
DNA and the origin of Modern Humans,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,
98(2001):2:391-391, p. 391
**
“When analyzing mtDNA sequences from ancient fossils, such as Neandertals,
it is not clear which interpretive model should be used—separate species or
variation within an evolving lineage? The choice of model influences the
interpretive meaning. If Neandertals were a separate species, then the mtDNA
evidence can inform us about when this line split off from the ancestors of
modern humans. If Neandertals are not a separate species, then these
divergence dates mean little, and provide instead information on ancient
patterns of population size and gene flow. Adcock et al.’s study, with its
clear demonstration of lineage extinction in modern humans, suggests that
the conclusion of separate species status for Neandertals, while possible,
is not conclusive.” John H. Relethford, “Ancient DNA and the origin of
Modern Humans,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98(2001):2:391-391, p. 391
**
“The picture presented by Adcock et al. suggests that modern human origins
were more complicated than once envisioned.” John H. Relethford, “Ancient
DNA and the origin of Modern Humans,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,
98(2001):2:391-391, p. 391.
**
glenn
see http://www.glenn.morton.btinternet.co.uk/dmd.htm
for lots of creation/evolution information
anthropology/geology/paleontology/theology\
personal stories of struggle
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