5 ms·

So its possible that modern races of humans are actually our archaic ancestors?

runarberg 7y ago
No, what most people refer to as races of humans are a set of traits that are surprisingly shared across populations, albeit in different quantities. The traits that we’ve inherited from our archaic ancestors aren’t really the types of traits people use a distinguishing features between populations.
- peter_retief 7y ago
  Question is would the Neanderthals have also shared traits with other hominids? I find that religion and politics kind of muddies the science with human evolution
  - runarberg 7y ago
    I am not an expert. But it seems less likely since the Neanderthals existed for a shorter timespan over shorter distances then modern humans, so they must have encountered fewer hominin along their way. If anything it is more likely that the deninsovans aquired genes from the decedents of the groups of Homo Erectus that migrated throughout south east asia and quite probably remained in small quantities in remote areas (like Homo Floresiensis did) when the denisovans arrived. --- Edit: Then it is the question of: Say that the Denisovans acquired genes from other hominin through interbreeding, would these genes then be passed on to us when our homo sapien ancestors interbreed with the Denisovans? That is a question I have no confidence in answering and should probably be deferred to geneticist or a genetic statistician.
HelloNurse 7y ago
Archaic ancestors, by definition, died a very long time ago. Modern "races" are all equally modern.
- peter_retief 7y ago
  We are a sum of all our ancestors so they kind of live on through us
whenanother 7y ago
yes, I am hoping specific gene contributions from specific archaic humans will eventually be used to determine the ethnicity or race of a person. this will lead to better health outcomes as it's well known that drugs do not affect people of different races/gender the same. the push back from doing this probably comes from groups that are trying to hide past genocidal events.
- peter_retief 7y ago
  Possibilities outside our comfort zones but comfort should never influence our search for truth.

No, what most people refer to as races of humans are a set of traits that are surprisingly shared across populations, albeit in different quantities. The traits that we’ve inherited from our archaic ancestors aren’t really the types of traits people use a distinguishing features between populations.

peter_retief 7y ago
Question is would the Neanderthals have also shared traits with other hominids? I find that religion and politics kind of muddies the science with human evolution
- runarberg 7y ago
  I am not an expert. But it seems less likely since the Neanderthals existed for a shorter timespan over shorter distances then modern humans, so they must have encountered fewer hominin along their way. If anything it is more likely that the deninsovans aquired genes from the decedents of the groups of Homo Erectus that migrated throughout south east asia and quite probably remained in small quantities in remote areas (like Homo Floresiensis did) when the denisovans arrived. --- Edit: Then it is the question of: Say that the Denisovans acquired genes from other hominin through interbreeding, would these genes then be passed on to us when our homo sapien ancestors interbreed with the Denisovans? That is a question I have no confidence in answering and should probably be deferred to geneticist or a genetic statistician.

HelloNurse 7y ago

Archaic ancestors, by definition, died a very long time ago. Modern "races" are all equally modern.

peter_retief 7y ago
We are a sum of all our ancestors so they kind of live on through us

whenanother 7y ago

yes, I am hoping specific gene contributions from specific archaic humans will eventually be used to determine the ethnicity or race of a person. this will lead to better health outcomes as it's well known that drugs do not affect people of different races/gender the same. the push back from doing this probably comes from groups that are trying to hide past genocidal events.

peter_retief 7y ago
Possibilities outside our comfort zones but comfort should never influence our search for truth.