96 research outputs found
On Neanderthal crania and speech: Response to Lieberman
This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.jstor.org/stable/274428
Hand to mouth in a Neandertal : right-handedness in regourdou 1
We describe and analyze a Neandertal postcranial skeleton and dentition, which together show unambiguous signs of right-handedness. Asymmetries between the left and right upper arm in Regourdou 1 were identified nearly 20 years ago, then confirmed by more detailed analyses of the inner bone structure for the clavicle, humerus, radius and ulna. The total pattern of all bones in the shoulder and arm reveals that Regourdou 1 was a right-hander. Confirmatory evidence comes from the mandibular incisors, which display a distinct pattern of right oblique scratches, typical of right-handed manipulations performed at the front of the mouth. Regourdou's right handedness is consistent with the strong pattern of manual lateralization in Neandertals and further confirms a modern pattern of left brain dominance, presumably signally linguistic competence. These observations along with cultural, genetic and morphological evidence indicate language competence in Neandertals and their European precursors
Molecular Gas in the z=1.2 Ultraluminous Merger GOODS J123634.53+621241.3
We report the detection of CO(2-1) emission from the z=1.2 ultraluminous
infrared galaxy (ULIRG) GOODS J123634.53+621241.3 (also known as the
sub-millimeter galaxy GN26). These observations represent the first discovery
of high-redshift CO emission using the new Combined Array for Research in
Millimeter-Wave Astronomy (CARMA). Of all high-redshift (z>1) galaxies within
the GOODS-North field, this source has the largest far-infrared (FIR) flux
observed in the Spitzer 70um and 160um bands. The CO redshift confirms the
optical identification of the source, and the bright CO(2-1) line suggests the
presence of a large molecular gas reservoir of about 7x10^10 M(sun). The
infrared-to-CO luminosity ratio of L(IR)/L'(CO) = 80+/-30 L(sun) (K Km/s
pc^2)^-1 is slightly smaller than the average ratio found in local ULIRGs and
high-redshift sub-millimeter galaxies. The short star-formation time scale of
about 70 Myr is consistent with a starburst associated with the merger event
and is much shorter than the time scales for spiral galaxies and estimates made
for high-redshift galaxies selected on the basis of their B-z and z-K colors.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Detection of CO from SMM J16359+6612, The Multiply Imaged Submillimeter Galaxy Behind A2218
We report the detection of CO (=32) line emission from all three
multiple images (A,B and C) of the intrinsically faint ( 0.8 mJy)
submillimeter-selected galaxy SMM J16359+6612. The brightest source of the
submm continuum emission (B) also corresponds to the brightest CO emission,
which is centered at =2.5168, consistent with the pre-existing redshift
derived from \Ha. The observed CO flux in the A, B and C images is 1.2, 3.5 and
1.6 Jy \kms respectively, with a linewidth of \kms. After
correcting for the lensing amplification, the CO flux corresponds to a
molecular gas mass of \Msun, while the
extent of the CO emission indicates that the dynamical mass of the system
\Msun. Two velocity components are seen in the CO spectra;
these could arise from either a rotating compact ring or disk of gas, or
merging substructure. The star formation rate in this galaxy was previously
derived to be 100--500 \Msun \yr. If all the CO emission arises from the
inner few kpc of the galaxy and the galactic CO-to-H conversion factor
holds, then the gas consumption timescale is a relatively short 40 Myr, and so
the submm emission from SMM J16359+6612 may be produced by a powerful, but
short-lived circumnuclear starburst event in an otherwise normal and
representative high-redshift galaxy.Comment: Appearing in the 2004 October 10 issue of the Astrophysical Journal
Letters, Volume 614, L5-L
Sexual Dimorphism
doi:10.1146/annurev.an.14.100185.002241Annual Review of Anthropology http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/loi/anthr
The Iceman as a Burial
Since his discovery in 1991 the iceman has been widely seen as meeting a dramatic end – mortally wounded by an arrow shot while attempting to flee through an Alpine pass. A careful study of all the located grave goods, here planned comprehensively for the first time, points strongly towards the scene as one of a ceremonial burial, subsequently dispersed by thawing and gravity. The whole assemblage thus takes on another aspect – not a casual tragedy but a mortuary statement of its day
Palaeoanthropological Investigations of the Thai-American Expedition in Northern Thailand (1978-1980): An Interim Report
Krapina 3 cut marks
Incisions on the frontal of the Krapina 3 cranium differ from other cut
marks from the site. Thirty-five, mostly parallel marks course up the frontal
from right of the midline, just posterior to the supraorbitale point to left of
the midline, slightly anterior to bregma. They are angled mostly perpendicular
to the midsagittal plane, averaging 5.2 mm in length and are on average
1.2 mm apart. The marks' characteristics are not consistent with scalping,
cannibalism, defleshing or other perimortem activities described for
Neandertals or modern groups. These marks represent a type of funereal behavior
yet to be documented in Neandertals and suggest a kind of ritual
treatment of the deceased
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