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Published online 7 August 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.1026
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First complete Neanderthal genome sequenced
Full nuclear sequence, offering clues about our relatives' demise, expected within months.
The first complete genome of a Neanderthal — specifically, the mitochondrial DNA found in a 38,000-year-old bone — has been sequenced.
The highly accurate sequence contains clues that our relatives lived in small, isolated populations, and probably did not interbreed with their human neighbours.
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The title of this article is only slightly misleading. I'm not sure how complete genome = mitochondrial genome, but ok...
The questions that relate to "human behavior" are not balanced or well presented. I agree with Trinkaus that their are likely to be environmental factors that triggered certain complex social behaviors, (I assume that is what he is referring to) but obviously the disposition of the species as determined by the genome, did in fact determined our capacity to respond to those factors. The questions, in the face of those factors, are: 1. How likely is it that other human species would have responded similarly? 2. Are there genetic factors that favored our branch of the species over others? 3. Are there genetic factors that constrained the successful response by others?
Gag, forgive the obvious word error s/their/there/ - ignorant fingers.
I think this new article is good enough. Posted by:Sanjoy Kr. Chatterjee 11 Aug,2008
Still we are not sure about the sudden disappearance of Neanderthals and their relationship with the Homo sapiens sapiens (modern man) in course of human evolution.
The title and content don't match. The title should've said that it's the mitochondrial genome that's sequenced.