A lens on history: Scientists have given advances in DNA technology to study a new tool with the ancient human origins. "I think, ancient DNA is very powerful," a researcher now says, "because it gives a direct view into the past." Here, a photographer shoots a reconstruction of a Neanderthal Museum in Germany.
This was a good year for Neanderthals. Yes, they go extinct, about 30,000 years ago, but scientists say now their genes live on - in us.
Scientists found a 40,000-year-old fingers belonged in a Siberian cave which is apparently a unknown humanoid creature. And Hunter reveals his blood group and a predisposition to baldness hair from the body of 4,000-year-old.
What made possible these discoveries was DNA which has biological science's window into the past.
Take for example the Neanderthals. They were the closest cousins on our family tree until she died about 30,000 years ago. But were kissing cousins? Share you genes with us? Scientists asked.
This year a team of scientists that Max Planck decodes Institute in Germany combined actually the billions of segments of DNA extracted from Neanderthal bones. It was the culmination of years of research to get from intact, ancient DNA from the bones of people and of their ancestors.
A bit of Neanderthal in us all
And what they found was a worthy of a supermarket tabloid as a scientific journal. The Neanderthal was closer to Europeans and Asians as Africans genetic code. If we had never stuck with you their genes should have been equally different from everyone.
So, what does that for us?
"We appreciate that not Africans from Neanderthal, is about four percent of genetic origin," says David Reich, geneticist at Harvard University and member of the research team.
But isn't obvious, having some Neanderthals in us a handicap.
And DNA reveals not only the similarities but also the genetic differences between Neanderthals and us, especially things that can explain how we adapted and survived better than you.
Ed green from the University of California at Santa Cruz told NPR's Science Friday program, "we use this information now, long ago notice to some important episode of adaptation in our human ancestors that even as we divided by neanderthals."
DNA: 'direct look into the past'
DNA technology has been a telephoto lens look scientists further in the past. Consider the 40,000 year old pinky finger in a Siberian Cave found.
No one could heads or tails make it until this year when some geneticist at the Max Planck Institute, which analyzes its DNA. Its owner was a modern man neither a Neanderthal. However, share a common ancestor with us, probably in Africa. In addition, its DNA shows significant similarities with modern people from Melanesia.
"It was a third population at the same times," says geneticist Empire. "We know not what tools you made." "What we now know is that we learn about you from their DNA."
And if scientists DNA which is newer, it can say even more.
For example, scientists have found this year Hunter DNA in hair from the remains of 4,000-year-old in Greenland. At the University of Copenhagen, biologist Eske Willerslev teased remarkable details.
"We can show that he was genetically adapted to cold temperatures," says Willerslev. "We can also show very high probability that he had a tendency to baldness, he had this blood group, know he had this colour, et cetera."
He had A positive blood type to be precise; thick hair; Brown eyes; and he had of the two types of ear wax to inherit the dry type people.
Scientists called the Inuk Hunter. Willerslev says he'll now use the same technique to some 8,000-year-old mummies from South America.
"I think, ancient DNA is very powerful" Willerslev now says, "because it gives a direct view into the past."
"Further surprises around the corner"
Ancient DNA have their limits. Heat, microbes and water destroy it. So the raw material – bones, teeth and hair - are preserved in very cold climates.
But says geneticist Terry Brown from the University of Manchester, England to explore much of fossilized area allow. He says that received more DNA scientists, human history will become more complex.
"I suspect that it will further surprises around the corner," Brown says. "If it then other bones where we can get DNA, it is possible I, that we might find a major differences previously recognized under our earlier ancestors as we."
And perhaps more information about these things that gave us the human edge.
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