Comments on: Tracing the Travels of the Human Race http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/ Science, Environment, and Nature in the SF Bay Area Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:39:48 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Chromosome Fusion: Chance or Design? | QUEST Community Science Blog - KQED http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/comment-page-1/#comment-59599 Chromosome Fusion: Chance or Design? | QUEST Community Science Blog - KQED Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:24:02 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/#comment-59599 [...] When an unfixed change happens in a sperm or egg, then it is passed down to the next generation. If the changes that aren’t fixed happen somewhere important, then they are selected for or against. But if they’re neutral, then they just build up over time. Scientists can even use these sorts of errors to predict how long ago something happened. Or to trace human migration patterns. [...] [...] When an unfixed change happens in a sperm or egg, then it is passed down to the next generation. If the changes that aren't fixed happen somewhere important, then they are selected for or against. But if they're neutral, then they just build up over time. Scientists can even use these sorts of errors to predict how long ago something happened. Or to trace human migration patterns. [...]

]]> By: Explosive hypothesis about humans’ lack of genetic diversity | QUEST Community Science Blog - KQED http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/comment-page-1/#comment-56387 Explosive hypothesis about humans’ lack of genetic diversity | QUEST Community Science Blog - KQED Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:59:44 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/#comment-56387 [...] Toba is all that is left of the volcano that nearly wiped out mankind.Last blog I talked about how East Africans are genetically more diverse than Asians. Who are genetically more [...] [...] Toba is all that is left of the volcano that nearly wiped out mankind.Last blog I talked about how East Africans are genetically more diverse than Asians. Who are genetically more [...]

]]> By: Barry Starr http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/comment-page-1/#comment-56301 Barry Starr Sun, 09 Mar 2008 23:59:51 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/#comment-56301 I can only mention so much in a blog! I mostly wanted to focus on how scientists figure out ancestry history from DNA data. I should have included a link or two about the ancestry itself. I like https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/atlas.html as a nice beginning link. PS I love the image of men riding mammoths. Is there any archaeological data that supports that? I can only mention so much in a blog! I mostly wanted to focus on how scientists figure out ancestry history from DNA data. I should have included a link or two about the ancestry itself. I like https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/atlas.html as a nice beginning link.

PS I love the image of men riding mammoths. Is there any archaeological data that supports that?

]]> By: Linus Hollis http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/comment-page-1/#comment-56261 Linus Hollis Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:06:41 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/#comment-56261 I'm impressed with how simplified you made things, but the timelines don't mention Australians [and how they encountered the Asians to become the Polynesians] or the Ancient Ones of North America, who got here on the backs of mammoths 18-22000 years ago after their homeland on the floor of what is now the Mediterranean sea flooded. I'm only 1/16, but the history is very interesting. I'm impressed with how simplified you made things, but the timelines don't mention Australians [and how they encountered the Asians to become the Polynesians] or the Ancient Ones of North America, who got here on the backs of mammoths 18-22000 years ago after their homeland on the floor of what is now the Mediterranean sea flooded. I'm only 1/16, but the history is very interesting.

]]> By: Larry Flammer http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/comment-page-1/#comment-56260 Larry Flammer Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:49:36 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/03/tracing-the-travels-of-the-human-race/#comment-56260 Barry, I saw your latest post on the QUEST blog about how comparing DNA traces early human migrations. It is one of the clearest, brief explanations for this analytical process that I've seen. It struck me how beautifully this shows the process of differentiation-in-progress through genetic drift and the founder effect (in contrast to basic natural selection). Are there sufficient samplings of DNA from the major populations that you mentioned (east African, Asian, and Native American) - or even made-up "samples" reflecting their differences - that students could compare and, with appropriate prompts, be walked through the discovery of early human migrations and the peopling of the planet? I am the webmaster for ENSIweb (living in San Jose), and would like very much to add such a lesson to our website (Evolution and the Nature of Science Institutes) at http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb In addition, as you may know, the CSTA (California Science Teachers Association) will be holding their annual meeting here in San Jose in late October. I will be doing 3 workshop sessions (if they are all accepted), including one where students discover mid-chromosome 2 telomere DNA showing that our chromosome 2 was formed from the fusion of two shorter chromosomes still found in apes today, and another comparing DNA samples that show that the closest living relatives of cetaceans are hippos. It may be too late for you or The Tech to add a workshop on the DNA evidence for early human migrations (unless it's already scheduled, either at the convention, or at the Tech during the convention). If that's the case, perhaps I could take a little time to include that material in one of my sessions. BTW, having watched the Tech mature over the years (I taught CP Biology at Del Mar High School for 38 years), I am very impressed with the leadership and ideas that you have apparently added to the Tech's repertoire, going more deeply into the biotech realm than they had before. My compliments to you. Larry Flammer flammer4@gmail.com Barry,
I saw your latest post on the QUEST blog about how comparing DNA traces early human migrations. It is one of the clearest, brief explanations for this analytical process that I've seen. It struck me how beautifully this shows the process of differentiation-in-progress through genetic drift and the founder effect (in contrast to basic natural selection). Are there sufficient samplings of DNA from the major populations that you mentioned (east African, Asian, and Native American) – or even made-up "samples" reflecting their differences – that students could compare and, with appropriate prompts, be walked through the discovery of early human migrations and the peopling of the planet?

I am the webmaster for ENSIweb (living in San Jose), and would like very much to add such a lesson to our website (Evolution and the Nature of Science Institutes) at http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb In addition, as you may know, the CSTA (California Science Teachers Association) will be holding their annual meeting here in San Jose in late October. I will be doing 3 workshop sessions (if they are all accepted), including one where students discover mid-chromosome 2 telomere DNA showing that our chromosome 2 was formed from the fusion of two shorter chromosomes still found in apes today, and another comparing DNA samples that show that the closest living relatives of cetaceans are hippos.

It may be too late for you or The Tech to add a workshop on the DNA evidence for early human migrations (unless it's already scheduled, either at the convention, or at the Tech during the convention). If that's the case, perhaps I could take a little time to include that material in one of my sessions.

BTW, having watched the Tech mature over the years (I taught CP Biology at Del Mar High School for 38 years), I am very impressed with the leadership and ideas that you have apparently added to the Tech's repertoire, going more deeply into the biotech realm than they had before. My compliments to you.

Larry Flammer
flammer4@gmail.com

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