A Note On The Denisova Cave mtDNA Sequence

The recently published Altai fossil sequence from Denisova Cave was purported to be so different from anatomically modern humans, yet have the physiological landmarks of that species designation. When the published sequence was examined it was found that segments in the mtDNA hypervariable regions could be found to align with that of anatomically modern humans if one introduced an insertion at a position found in Neanderthals. Some other points of interest arise from a reconsideration of the sequences for other published samples and Neanderthals from the same perspective

Homo heidelbergensis: The Tool to Our Success

Homo heidelbergensis, a physiological variant of the species Homo sapien, is an extinct species that existed in both Europe and parts of Asia from 700,000 years ago to roughly 300,000 years ago (carbon dating). This “subspecies” of Homo sapiens, as it is formally classified, is a direct ancestor of anatomically modern humans, and is understood to have many of the same physiological characteristics as those of anatomically modern humans while still expressing many of the same physiological attributes of Homo erectus, an earlier human ancestor. Since Homo heidelbergensis represents attributes of both species, it has therefore earned the classification as a subspecies of Homo sapiens and Homo erectus. Homo heidelbergensis, like anatomically modern humans, is the byproduct of millions of years of natural selection and genetic variation. It is understood through current scientific theory that roughly 200,000 years ago (carbon dating), archaic Homo sapiens and Homo erectus left Africa in pursuit of the small and large animal game that were migrating north into Europe and Asia. As they migrated north with their food source, the climates that these individuals faced were completely opposite to the environment that they were subjected to in Africa

Notes on the Idea of a Species: A Look at Human/Neandertal Interbreeding

Unearthed within the limestone quarries that lie east of Dusseldorf in Germany, the first fossil to be recognized as an ancient hominin brought solid evidence to the table for starting to find answers to the question of where humans came from

Mind Matters

The great divide of modern thought is whether mind is real or naught. The conceit that either mind is reducible to matter or that mind is utterly ethereal is rooted in a mind-versus-matter dichotomy that can be characterized as the modern error, a fatally flawed fallacy rooted in the philosophy and culture of nominalism. A Peircean semiotic outlook, applied to an understanding of social life, provides a new and full-bodied understanding of semiosis as the bridge between mind and matter, and human biology and culture. I begin by first delineating the false divide and showing Charles Sanders Peirce’s alternative to it, then explore the implications of a semiotic approach to mind as trans-action, then consider the self-transcending nature of the human body-mind. Finally I outline my ecological, biosemiotic account of mind, which reveals that, indeed, mind matters, and in ways that unexpect-edly resemble the forms of animism that characterized the hunting-gathering foragers through whom we anatomically modern humans emerged

Neandertalczyk i człowiek anatomicznie współczesny w ujęciu najnowszych źródeł archeologicznych i paleoantropologicznych

The article summarises recent discoveries regarding Neandertals and anatomically modern humans (AMH), and tries to examine currently leading trends in the fields of archaeology and palaeoanthropology. Collected evidence suggests that modern research focuses mostly on discussions on the origin of symbolism, cultural and cognitive capacities, and analyses of ancient DNA. Although archaeology and palaeoanthropology undoubtedly provide the highest number of sources, other sciences such as cognitive neuroscience also deliver new, equally valuable perspectives and information.The article summarises recent discoveries regarding Neandertals and anatomically modern humans (AMH), and tries to examine currently leading trends in the fields of archaeology and palaeoanthropology. Collected evidence suggests that modern research focuses mostly on discussions on the origin of symbolism, cultural and cognitive capacities, and analyses of ancient DNA. Although archaeology and palaeoanthropology undoubtedly provide the highest number of sources, other sciences such as cognitive neuroscience also deliver new, equally valuable perspectives and information

Feet and Footwear: Applying Biological Design and Mismatch Theory to Running Injuries

The Endurance-Running hypothesis proposes that natural selection has shaped humans into endurance-running specialists. Running-related-injury rates between 20-79% suggests modern humans are prone to injury in this species-specific movement pattern. This opinion piece offers a novel perspective on high-injury prevalence in human endurance running, focussing on evolutionary mismatch between modern athletic footwear and evolved foot structure and function. We propose that non-anatomically shaped, structured, cushioned footwear can lead to maladapted foot structure and loss of biologically-normal function including stability, elasticity, sensory feedback and subsequent movement control. The structure and function of the human foot and its possible impairment by modern footwear has received little attention in running-related literature, but could provide a new area of enquiry and potential solutions for many running-related injuries