Re: A Specification for a
Paul Crowley (Paul@crowleyp.demon.co.uk)
Fri, 20 Oct 95 11:51:55 GMT
In article <60.3583.7295.0N1F9B91@canrem.com>
j#d#.moore@canrem.com "J. Moore" writes:
> We know that humans today are one single species.
> We know that humans today vary in body hairiness.
> We know that this characteristic varies regionally.
> <snips>
> Therefore, since we see that this characteristic can come and/or
> go that quickly (a few 10s of thousands of years or less), any
> theory postulating its "loss" during the transition can only be
> an untestable, and unwarranted, assumption.
It may be untestable with current data and methodology, but it is
hardly unwarranted. There is a phenomenon that needs explanation.
If we can get our thinking straight, possibly with the use of
analogies with other species such as the woolly mammoth, then we
might be able to work out a way to test it.
Hair is a disadvantage if you're getting in and out of the water
a lot. It's an advantage if you move north to colder climates,
(avoiding regular swimming). It is reasonable to speculate that
the Neanderthals became hairy and that there was interbreeding
later with the modern h.s.s. who moved into Europe, or
alternatively that some h.s.s. moving into Europe became hairy.
Genetic research could provide data to support or disprove such
a theory.
Paul.
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