Recently carried out research
A research carried out recently by Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, saw a sequencing of a Neanderthal DNA in order to determine whether or not there were some similarities with the modern man.
Does the Neanderthal genome explain what makes us different from them?
The study by Pablo shows that there are several differences between the Neanderthals genetic characteristics with the modern man genetic characteristics (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010). The study also shows that the modern man has greatly evolved since they parted ways with the Neanderthal man approximately 500000 years ago (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010). This is one of the reasons that explain the differences between the Neanderthal and the modern man. The difference between the Neanderthal and the modern man is very great for example; these differences give the modern man the ability to make computerized inventions and other artistic things such as poetry instead of drawing on caves and making tools out of stones (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010).
How was the Neanderthal man’s Genome Sequenced?
The study was carried out by studying the DNA present in the bones of the acquired fossils; this is because the bone contains a form of DNA which exists through a very long time even after the organism has died (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010). Research was carried out on 38000 years old bones which were found in Croatia. However, the DNA was contaminated; the scientists used a machine used to sequence DNA. The machine was able to decode the available short DNA strands and got rid of the microbial contamination in the DNA (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010). After this the scientist managed to come with short stretches of the deoxyribonucleic code which after applying computer technology. The short DNA stretches were well combined. Even though the process was successful the process is deemed as not perfect. The scientist decoded 5.3 billion letters of the Neanderthal man DNA code which very erroneous is taking into account that the human DNA contains only 3 billion letters. This means that only two thirds of the DNA was sequenced (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010).
What was the outcome of the research?
The research shows that all human beings who did not trace their ancestral origin to Africa have similar genetic characteristics as the Neanderthal man up to four percent (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010). This means that the Neanderthal man and the modern man interbred and a small trace of their genetic sequence is present to all human beings who are not African considering their ancestral background (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010). The reason why Africans in the sub Sahara are believed not to have Neanderthal characteristics is because the Neanderthal never liver lived in Africa (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010). Some researches have shown that some human characteristics and genes can be traced back to the Neanderthal DNA. This includes a gene which is directly involved in brain development which is believed to have originated from the interbreeding between Homo sapiens and the Neanderthal (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 2010),
Structure of the early modern European man
Even though it is perceived that the modern early European man is derived from the Middle Paleolithic modern humans (MPMHs) there are some differences which have been exhibited between the two which can only be attributed to the change in DNA (Trinkaus 2007). The main difference between the two is on the structure and shape of the brain for example the difference in the cerebral squamous bone, the growth rate of this bone at infancy is different in the two species. the figure below shows the Cranium of the Oase 2 (Trinkaus 2007). The cranium shows some bones which are similar to the one’s belonging to the early modern European human beings but still there are some differences exhibited. The main differences between the Cranium of Oase 1 and the early modern European human being are the shape and size (Trinkaus 2007).
An examination of this curvature compared to that of the Middle Paleolithic modern humans (MPMHs) there some differences but if compared some categories of the Neanderthal there are some similarities (Trinkaus 2007).The origin of the early European modern man is attributed to the Middle Paleolithic modern humans (MPMHs) but there are some differences between the two which are similar morphological structures which are the same with the Neanderthal (Trinkaus 2007). This means that there was some genetic exchange between the early European modern human beings and the Neanderthals that did not took place with the Middle Paleolithic modern humans. This can only be attributed to interbreeding (Trinkaus 2007).
Source: (Trinkaus 2007)
The study of human fossils of the early European modern man shows gives a record which shows us the fate of the Neandertal (Trinkaus 2007) and their relationship to modern human beings (Trinkaus 2007). The records are clear since the early modern Europeans display both their ancestral characteristics i.e. African modern man and the characteristics of Neandertal. Given the many years that have passed since the extinction of the Neandertal, conducting the comparison process at this point time will not produce reliable results (Trinkaus 2007).
