Modern human anatomical distinctiveness

[lagarvelho]

All:

According to Erik Trinkaus in the latest "Current Anthropology", it is not Neandertals who are more "distinct" than us, anatomically and morphologically speaking.  It is "us".  The article, of which I only have an abstract from Dienekies' Anthropology Blog, sounds quite interesting and possibly controversial.  You can look at the abstract(and what Dienekie has to say abou ti at:

http://dienekes.blogspot.com/2005/07/early-modern-humans.html

Just in case you're interested,
Anne G

[Daryl Habel]

Public release date: 7-Sep-2006
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Contact: Neil Schoenherr
nschoenherr@wustl.edu
314-935-5235
Washington University in St. Louis

Modern humans, not Neandertals, may be evolution's 'odd man out'
Looking incorrectly at Neandertals
Could it be that in the great evolutionary "family tree," it is we Modern Humans, not the brow-ridged, large-nosed Neandertals, who are the odd uncle out?

New research published in the August, 2006 journal Current Anthropology by Neandertal and early modern human expert, Erik Trinkaus, professor of anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, suggests that rather than the standard straight line from chimps to early humans to us with Neandertals off on a side graph, it's equally valid, perhaps more valid based on what the fossils tell us, that the straight line should be from the common ancestor to the Neandertals, and the Modern Humans should be the branch off that.

For a few folks like me that read this CA paper (online early) and got the feeling they, perhaps, were missing the point, this is a very good press release, in which Trinkaus explains it all very clearly .   Read the whole piece at:
http://www.eurekalert.org/bysubject/archaeology.php

Dar

[trehinp]

Thank's Dar,

Fascinating paper, even though the full PDF article isn't available, the expended version of the red text you posted provides enough information to challenge a lot of our previous beliefs on Neanderthals.

I was just about to post a message indicating a great special issue of the French Magazine "La Recherche", August-October 2006, N° 24, entirely dedicated to the current knowledge about Neanderthals and some controvercies that are preoccupying the researchers, but this press release just add one more profound and intriguing research path...

Well, I still think the special issue of "La Recherche" remains worth reading...

Yours sincerely.

Paul

[lagarvelho]

Paul:

Personally, I'm always absolutely thirsty for any information on Neandertals, that I can get.  Yeah, I know a lot of it is contradictory in the extreme.  It seems that everyone who deals with them has their own ideas about them.  And of course that includes Erik Trinkaus.  Be that as it may, I would welcome the link to the journal you cited.  I think many others on this list would welcome it as well.
Anne G

[trehinp]

I would welcome the link to the journal you cited.  I think many others on this list would welcome it as well.
Anne G

Anne,

Here are a two links on the magazine "La Recherche"

First, a pointer to the special issue on Neanderthal which unfortunately only gives the table of content. Click here for the table of contents

And since I have not been able to find a link for an online version here is a link to the order form for a paper version HERE

For Palanth members living in North America, it may be easier to order the magazine in  CANADA at the following address:

Express Mag
4011, boul. Robert
Montréal (Québec) H1Z 4H6
tél. 1-800 363.1310 -
(514) 355 3333
expsmag@expressmag.com

Paul

[lagarvelho]

Paul:

Many thanks for your help.  Even a table of contents is better than nothing at all.
Anne G