Intellectual thread for Gerien

[Jezebel]

Because I'm kind of hungering for some intellectual discussion, too.

So here's a thread to discuss any topic - anthropology, science, history, etc.

[Jezebel]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/1 ... tml?hpt=C1

For example, I find this news fascinating.

[Gerien]

Read that here this morning myself.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12059564

What I find most interesting is the chart shown in the BBC article.


If we take it as given that the (as written on this chart) African line is what led to modern homo sapiens sapiens, then what effect does the interbreeding with the Melanesian line really have on us?

From a cultural perspective, it's also interesting that they describe the interbreeding as a "fleeting encounter", leaving only a 4-6% remainder of DNA in modern humans. (And why are they considered more distant than homo neandertalensis? I haven't seen any reports showing degrees of genetic difference between h.n. and h. d.) What caused the encounters to be so "fleeting"? How did the Denisovan species fare after said encounters? It's been proposed that H.S.S. negatively impacted H.N.; why not the same for H.D.?

[Jezebel]

Gerien - let me dig up that Nature article. Nature, along with Science, are the supremo journals in biology. I know faculty that would sell their grannies into white slavery if they thought it would help them get published in either one.

[Gerien]

That action could certainly get them published in American Anthropologist,

[owly]

The social science that studies the origins and social relationships of human beings huh?

cool

i rather study biology myself, people don't interest me at all, but i'm looking forward to see where this thread goes.......

edit/the biology of viruses would be kewl

[Lady Maven]

I always did very well in science. All the way through college when had a choice of electives it was always some science or history class I took. But I could have never made it in the sciences. it requires a knowledge of higher math I am not capable of. At least not if my calculus grades were any indication...

Right now I am studying heiroglyphics. It may sound silly, but I want to look at the Narmer plate and just be able to read it.

[Gerien]

I actually majored in cultural anthropology with emphases in both mythology/legend/folklore and comparative religion.

[owly]

Cool stuff Gman

[Lady Maven]

Really Ger... I may be hitting you up on some folklore info in a few weeks if you don't mind.

[Jezebel]

I looked over the Nature article, and I'd have to say they did a pretty thorough study. But the authors of that paper made it clear that their evidence does not support one over any of three possible theories on what occurred among these hominid populations, of course the new media jumped on one possible one.

One thing I would have hoped for is that they had added more genetic isolates, like the Finns, to the study.

[Gerien]

Jez, email me that if you can. None of my hospitals subscribe to Nature. Like to review it myself to discuss it better.

[Jezebel]

Gerien,

Most of the paper is free access :

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v4 ... 09710.html

[Gerien]

Abstract only.

[Jezebel]

You only get the abstract? God, I'm sorry.

Let me see if I can make a copy and email it to you. You still use your gmail address?

[Gerien]

http://www.boston.com/news/world/middle ... in_israel/

JERUSALEM—Israeli archaeologists said Monday they may have found the earliest evidence yet for the existence of modern man, and if so, it could upset theories of the origin of humans.

A Tel Aviv University team excavating a cave in central Israel said teeth found in the cave are about 400,000 years old and resemble those of other remains of modern man, known scientifically as Homo sapiens, found in Israel. The earliest Homo sapiens remains found until now are half as old.

[Jezebel]

That could be VERY interesting if the results pan out - seems a little premature until they find other remains.

[Teanos]

I actually read that article (its a boring week at work) and made a note to myself to post it in here.
I apparently lost the note some place.

Damnit.

[owly]

Wow but what Jez said

[Gerien]

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It feels as if everyone has told bankers where to get off in the past couple of years. That’s certainly the case with a letter written by Cambridge University, though this time it’s not a criticism of irresponsible lending and investment. Instead Britain’s banks have been told to go whistle after demanding that a student’s thesis be censored.

The thesis, by Omar Choudary of Darwin College, studying for a Master’s degree in Advanced Computer Science, built on work publicized earlier this year involving “chip and pin” security systems for debit and credit cards.

Choudary and colleagues discovered that it was possible to carry a card reader and stolen card in a bag, then present a dummy card for payment. By exploiting a loophole in the system and using a wireless connection to a laptop outside the store, someone could go around the new security measures.

At the time, the UK Cards Association dismissed the loophole as being too complicated in practice and maintained such misuse would trigger fraud alerts. Now it seems more concerned, writing to the college. The letter, which argues that Choudary’s thesis “breaches the boundary of responsible disclosure”, says that even though genuine fraudsters wouldn’t use the method, it could encourage “nuisance” attacks.

More fundamentally, the banks say they are concerned “that this type of research was ever considered suitable for publication by the University. It gives us cause to worry that future research, which may potentially be more damaging, may also be published in this level of detail.” The letter concluded with a request for the thesis to be removed from public access immediately.

To say the University’s reply was dismissive would be an understatement. After pointing out that technically it was Choudary rather than the university that published the thesis, and that it actually contained less detail than was previously made public, security professor Ross Anderson unleashed a blistering attack (PDF) on the entire principle of the banks’ request:

You seem to think that we might censor a student’s thesis, which is lawful and already in the public domain, simply because a powerful interest finds it inconvenient. This shows a deep misconception of what universities are and how we work. Cambridge is the University of Erasmus, of Newton, and of Darwin; censoring writings that offend the powerful is offensive to our deepest values. Thus even though the decision to put the thesis online was Omar’s, we have no choice but to back him. That would hold even if we did not agree with the material.

It’s fair to say the bank’s request has backfired spectacularly. Not only has the dispute drawn further media attention to the entire matter, but Anderson has responded by republishing the thesis as a report from the university, meaning it will be permanently available online in a high-profile fashion even if and when Choudary removes his own copy.