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Re: trichotomy revisited
ndr102@psuvm.psu.edu
Thu, 8 Dec 1994 16:08:04 EST
In article <1994Dec6.180049.8974@henson.cc.wwu.edu>, n8010095@henson.cc.wwu.edu
(Phillip Bigelow) says:
>
> Read Benveniste and Todaro's research article in _Nature_, v. 252,
>pp. 456-459. This paper is one of the references used by the supporters of
>the AAT for "evidence" of isolation from the African continent. In fact,
>Beneviste and Todaro _did_ find that humans carry a marker for baboon-C
>virus, but for only the p30 protein of the virus. This shows that humans
>_were_ exposed to the virus. It is in direct conflict with the supporters
>of the AAT, who had the audacity to use the paper as evidence for geographic
>isolation. I think that this is an example of proponents relying too
>heavily on non-peer-reviewed popular books, rather than bothering to read
>the original research.
> <pb>
>
I have read it, thankyou. The authors write, "Human DNA has been
examined for RD114-related nucleic acid sequences with negativeresults.
The lack of detectable sequence homology of human DNA with RD114 is
not due to an absence of RD114-related information. In support of this
this conclusion, p30 protein partially related to RD114 p30 can be found
in tissues of humans, as well as baboons and other Old World monkeys."
I am not a biochemist, and I'm not sure just what the significance of
this is, but Todaro regarded it as evidence of a non-African origin
for humans. (He suggested Asia, not Danakil.) If it is audacious
to treat this paper as evidence forgeographic isolation, the
audacity was first committed by Todaro, the paper's co-author, not
by Morgan, the author of those non-peer reviewed popular books.
Nicholas Rosen
Standard disclaimers apply.
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