ARCHAEOLOGISTS EMBARK ON GENE STUDY
Copyright 2005 www.tombraiderchronicles.com

[ July 7th 2005 ]

German and U.S. archaeologists are embarking on a project to reconstruct the Neanderthal genome in the hope of learning more of the prehistoric beings who originally inhabited Europe. The project is being carried out at the Leipzig-based institute, Associated Press reports.

In an interview with the German weekly Die Zeit, Rubin said the research would amount to more than just a spectacular display of science. "Firstly, we will learn a lot about the Neanderthals. Secondly, we will learn a lot about the uniqueness of human beings. And thirdly, it's simply cool," Rubin said.

During the Pleistocene, the polar ice caps were locked in a cycle of retreat and advance. When they retreated, temperatures climbed and deciduous forest covered Europe. When the ice caps advanced, temperatures plummeted and the landscape turned into snowy tundra.

In order to survive these ice ages, heidelbergensis evolved physical adaptations to the cold, and became the Neanderthals. They existed 30,000 to 40,000 years ago. (source: BBC)

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