Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
4 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,817 Year: 3,074/9,624 Month: 919/1,588 Week: 102/223 Day: 0/13 Hour: 0/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   This is what a Denisovan looks like
caffeine
Member (Idle past 1025 days)
Posts: 1800
From: Prague, Czech Republic
Joined: 10-22-2008


(1)
Message 1 of 2 (851841)
05-03-2019 7:23 AM


It's often mentioned that we don't know what Denisovans looked like, because the only fossils we have are little things like finger bones.
It's also often pointed out that we could actually have found plenty of Denisovan fossils; and just not know it. Our concept of what a Denisovan is, is defined by its DNA - we do not have DNA from most fossils. How do we know that we don't already have museums filled with Denisovan remains, but labelled 'Neanderthal' or 'Homo erectus'?
Well, it looks like they've found one. A fossil jawbone found in Tibet in 1980, dated to about 160,000 years ago, may well be from a Denisovan. They did not retrieve any DNA, but the conclusion is based rather on proteins extracted from the bone.
Notably, this is the oldest fossil known from the Tibetan plateau; which is interesting since the genetic adaptations modern Tibetans have to living at high altitude are argued to have been inherited from Denisovans.

Admin
Director
Posts: 12998
From: EvC Forum
Joined: 06-14-2002
Member Rating: 2.3


Message 2 of 2 (851917)
05-04-2019 10:12 AM


Thread Copied to Human Origins and Evolution Forum
Thread copied to the This is what a Denisovan looks like thread in the Human Origins and Evolution forum, this copy of the thread has been closed.

Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024