New Statistical Model Moves Human Evolution Back Three Million Years

[HuckleB]

Source: Science Daily

Evolutionary divergence of humans from chimpanzees likely occurred some 8 million years ago rather than the 5 million year estimate widely accepted by scientists, a new statistical model suggests.

The revised estimate of when the human species parted ways from its closest primate relatives should enable scientists to better interpret the history of human evolution, said Robert D. Martin, curator of biological anthropology at the Field Museum, and a co-author of the new study appearing in the journal Systematic Biology.

Working with mathematicians, anthropologists and molecular biologists, Martin has long sought to integrate evolutionary information derived from genetic material in various species with the fossil record to get a more complete picture.

Comparing DNA among related animals can provide a clear picture of how their shared genes evolved over time, giving rise to new and separate species, Martin said. But such molecular information doesn't yield a timetable showing when the genetic divergence occurred.

Read more: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101105124241.htm

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Well, now. Looks like we left those other primates behind a long, long, long, long time ago, depending on your definition of long. Mine, apparently is 2 million years per long.

:hi: