Fist pumps for DNA and science and things!

I was pumped when I caught a segment from this week's Science Friday on NPR (caught? who am I kidding... I auto-download them all and then binge out on them on lazy Saturdays at the lake). First, I learned how to pronounce Denisovans, which was nowhere near how I was saying it in my head. Secondly, human ancestor remains DNA sequenced... FROM A MOLAR. This is the kind of thing that makes me fist pump and yell "sciiiiiience!" in some weird accent ($10 goes to whoever can tell me where I'm quoting that from. Seriously, I can't figure it out, but I know the second syllable is emphasized).

Sometimes seemingly simple things astound me. We are able to sequence a genome from a PIECE of what used to be an individual. A tooth. Scientists also have a small fragment of a finger bone. And from that, we know that Denisovans were their own unique group. I think we take it for granted that researchers are able to figure out the genetics of something CSI-style. Like, we've always been able to do that, right?

It's truly amazing and exciting to find another pre-modern human group that overlapped with Neandertals. Go listen to the segment here and high-five whoever's around you.