Pre-modern human ménage à trois

In 2008, Svante Pääbo and colleagues discovered hominoid fragments at Denisova Cave in southern Siberia. Most importantly, an intact 10mg finger bone fragment that allowed scientists to perform extensive DNA testing on this previously undiscovered species. Using new methods, the fragment was scanned thirty times and the genome is likely more accurate than that of most modern human samples we have. We now know that this group was part of an extinct group of humans, as closely related to modern humans as Neandertals. Go back and read that again. An undiscovered group of modern-day humans. It blows my mind how little we actually know about our species' ancestors. It's equally as exciting, though, that we're still filling in the path we took to become what we are today.

There she is, the fragment that's telling us all.

So why do we care that there were other groups of humans similiar but distinct from modern humans floating around at the same time? Well for one, modern-day human ancestors were getting freaky with Denisovans AND Neandertals. This solidifies the idea that the path of species evolution is more like a branching tree, with overlapping subspecies and those with a common ancestor living at the same time. Evolution is not a straight-forward path where an previous species must die out for the next to succeed. Other similar groups of humans lived concurrently with modern-day human ancestors. Ahh, so now you're asking, why did the other groups die out? That's one of science's biggest questions. Why did "we" succeed while other groups eventually disappeared?  With the entire genome of these other groups sequenced, we can directly compare them to modern-day humans. This can be done by potentially cloning Denisovan and Neandertal DNA (Finally, some cloning I can actually get behind!). This will give us insight as to what changed that allowed modern humans to evolve and spread out of Africa approximately 100,000 years ago. Another potential goldmine, we can use the genome of related humanoid species to determine the genetic differences that have allowed human-specific diseases to arise in the population. Scientists studying HIV, polio, and smallpox, for example, may be able to deduce how these diseases evolved and potentially how to cure them.

One of the most exciting pieces of this story is that the group that did the initial research is making their results open to the public. Anyone who wishes to use the sequenced genome can go online and download it for free. This flies in the face of the typical competitive, closed-door policy many researchers have  of carefully guarding their findings. I applaud this approach to open science and using information toward the greater good. If you'd like to see what a genome sequence looks like (even if you don't have ANY idea what the hell it means), check it out here. It'll give you a good idea of just how complex we really are. 

Oh, I just play with uranium ore in my free time, nbd

This story about boy genius Taylor Wilson is so amazingly good that I read it through twice without stopping. It sounds like the plot to a Chuck Palahniuk book: Wunderkinder fascinated with radioactivity decides to build a nuclear reactor. However, instead of then massacring a small city, he successfully finds a team of supporters in his parents, the University of Nevada, and even the Department of Homeland Security. Typically, I'd be envious of this kid's miraculous intelligence and drive to succeed. But I'm not. I cannot even imagine the struggle Taylor had trying to find ways to entertain and challenge himself in public school. Usually these stories are sad because the protagonist is socially awkward and unable to express and explain their desires to us "normal" folks. Taylor Wilson, though, is sociable AND a genius. I'm in awe and it gives me hope that people like this come along at all, love science, and have the brains and the drive to change the world. 

Read the full article from PopSci here. 

Teeeeeexas

I've started taking things that are said about Texas... personally. Not because I'm in disagreement or even that I'm offended. It's just that, now that I live here, it affects me. And no, I would certainly die before sending my fictional children to public school in Texas. But I still have to put up with the snarky tweets from my more liberal friends that still don't understand the decision to come here. Keep your enemies closer...?

When I came across an article calling Texas out for its science standards only receiving a grade of "C" from a national board, I was honestly surprised. From the media attention, I would've thought Texas science standards were graded on a John-Paul-Matthew sort of scale. Well, the people stirring up controversy and trying to usher creationism into the curriculum are apparently not necessarily the majority. While religious-political ideology has been promoted at different points, it's had a harder time actually becoming part of statewide education. And that's fine with me. Left alone, Texas science education has done a decent job at least addressing evolution (many states simply drop it from their curriculum to avoid controversy completely).

The thing that struck me about the article, however, was not that Texas is succeeding or failing at teaching science and evolution. It was a quote from the former Chairman of the State Board of Education for Texas, Don McLeroy. He declared, boldly in my opinion, "somebody's got to stand up to the experts" on the subject of evolution.

WHAT.

INTHEACTUAL.

FUCK.

No, seriously. Let's reeeeeally digest what McLeroy is saying here. He's conceded that scientists are the experts on evolution. And then, he's put a call out to FIGHT BACK against the experts. With me so far? He's blatantly saying, fuck the scientists, fuck the experts in this field, I KNOW BETTER. This so appropriately, accurately, and efficiently sums up how I see the general public facing science these days: pitchforks of ignorance raised high in protest to something they haven't bothered learning or trying to understand.