lip@amid..ARPA (Loren I. Petrich) (01/13/89)
The subject of the origins of the modern human species was discussed in some articles in the 11 March 1988 issue of _Science_ magazine. These articles point out that genetic evidence from a number of sources points to an early split between African people and people elsewhere in the world. They also make a case for the proposition that the Neanderthals of Europe and _Homo erectus_ populations of Asia were replaced by populations of modern people who ultimately came from Africa. The article points out that it is difficult to imagine genes for modern human features slowly diffusing across the Old World in anything less than 500,000 years -- or more! I guess they find a picture of modern human origins that is very close to the "Punctuated Equilibrium" model -- a new species originates from some small population in some restricted area, and then spreads across a much larger area, sometimes squeezing related species into extinction. --Loren ------------- Loren Petrich, the Master Blaster lip@amid.s1.gov lip%amid.s1.gov@and.s1.gov lip%amid.s1.gov@mordor.s1.gov (whichever one works)