Early modern humans left Africa about 80,000 to 50,000 years ago, meaning they overlapped with Neanderthals in time and place for at least 20,000 years. On an evolutionary time scale, that’s not a ton of time, but could it be enough to leave lasting evidence of human/Neanderthal interbreeding?
According to Dr. Labuda, the answer is an emphatic “yes.” Back in the early ’00s, he and his team had identified a particular piece of DNA in the human X chromosome that seemed out of place with everything else, and they wondered whether it might have originated from a non-human source.
That answer came with the first sequencing of the Neanderthal genome last year. Dr. Labuda compared 6,000 chromosomes from all over the world to the corresponding part of the Neanderthal sequence. With the exception of people from sub-Saharan Africa – whose ancestors would have been unlikely to come into contact with Neanderthals, since their territories didn’t overlap – every chromosome featured evidence of the Neanderthal sequence.
Over at Avenue 5 in San Diego, Mike Yen is taking molecular gastronomy techniques handed down from Chicago’s Alinea and applying them to cocktails. The results are kind of fantastic.
Little Tomatoes: The finished bloody mary spheres are topped with a stem and greens made from a mix of juiced celery, salt, and gelatin (in custom-made silicone molds).
The chemical reaction between the sodium alginate and calcium lactate forms a thin shell of gelatin around the outside of the shot, making it look solid, but once your teeth make contact with it, the thin, gelatinous “skin” breaks, releasing a flood of spicy, boozy, heirloom tomato juice. It’s almost exactly like biting into a cherry tomato (with a tasty grilled shrimp inside.)
Quick! Now’s your chance to justify all that book-learning you did by reading the full article in order to find out more.
A miscarriage of justice. Next time they make me wait for longer than a half hour, I’m going to demand a trial-by-combat from my local DMV. Know your rights!
Facebook, Google, Twitter, Skype and others cosigned a letter “strongly opposing” a bill introduced by California State Senator Ellen Corbett that would force sites to explain privacy settings in “plain language.” . . . In Sen. Corbett’s own words, “You shouldn’t have to sign in and give up your personal information before you get to the part where you say, ‘Please don’t share my personal information.”
Rumors of our impending doom were true, according to theChicago Sun Times:
Microsoft is buying Skype, the one video chat service that’s become ubiquitous enough to have forced an update to the classic lament: all over the world, retired women complain to their hairdressers that their kids never Skype them any more.
Skype + Microsoft?
Did I mention Eric wanted me to name my boy John Connor Kennedy? I thought about it, and realize now that I totally should have. Sorry humanity, you’re doomed and it’s my fault for liking this guy.
Depressed people like to point out that they are depressed because of their insight and intelligence, not despite it.
Just saying.
From LiveScience:
Depression might not be all bad, new research finds. People with major depressive disorder do better on a decision-making task than people without the disease.
This is the first time a positive cognitive effect has been seen in people with major depressive disorder. The researchers suggest that these patients process information more systematically and analytically than their chipper counterparts. They might unconsciously put more effort into their decisions because they desire control of their environment.
I honestly have no idea if depression and intelligence are linked, but it makes sense to me that a fear that “the sky might fall if we get this wrong” might lead to a bit more caution and forethought.
A big symbolic victory for the United States specifically, for Death From Near Orbit in general, and of course, for ninjas that come in the night to kill.
Pro Evolution Chronicles: (Not) Greg Downs chronicles his on-again, on-again relationship with the Pro Evolution Soccer video-game series. Play up, you Sky Blues!
Sesquipedalia: Check out the 100-word short story writing contest. Quality!
Hall of Douchebags: An all-time classic gallery making fun of crapy band photos. Been in a crappy band? Like to cringe?
Go Fug Yourself: you don't have to have an understanding of (or appreciation for) fashion in order to laugh at badly dressed celebrities. I really think this blog has some of the best humorus writing on the net.
Stuff White People Like: Sometimes I can't tell white people apart. (whispering) Is that racist?
