origins of man

I don't know of the specific genetic markers you are refering to but Chimpanzees possess over 98% of our genes. The only reason we can't reproduce with them is that we have 26 pairs of chromasomes and they have 28. Theoretically, we could even produce a chimp/human hybrid though doing so would be unethical. Now if you'll excuse me I have to climb the tree to get that banana.

Lol yep i would not want to be part of that experiment.



-Hans

23 pairs (human) and 24 (chimp).

Don't know anything about Wells, save for a brief interview I just Googled. He used markers on the Y-chromosome.

However since has us humans sharing common descent from about 60,000 years ago (it's his data; I can't speak to its veracity or to the validity of his conclusinos) and the common ancestor for chimps/bonobos and humans appears to be dated at about 5 million years ago, Wells' data isn't likely to cast much light on shared ancestry between hominids and other primates.

Pdog, youre up early out there in cheeseland. Youre right again. As far as the use of DNA, we have a functional limit in its use.
DNA evidence craps out at about 30K years due to losses on hydration and sorption on its matrix,Thats why Paabos data only was able to replicate about 1/3 of a gene sequence from mDNA in a 35K year old neanderthal. Osteocalcin is used as a first derivative for pCR and and osteocalcin degrades at about 100K when the chemical reactions that remove the phosphates from bone also degrade the osteocalcin.

Way beyond what I knew. Thanks, farm. (Had a nap yesterday.)

Patiodog is correct in the number of chromasomes. Though in vitro it is possible to create a viable chimp-human hybrid. Just look at GW Bush...

We share some genes with almost every living species on this planet (natural selection, descent with modification from a common ancestor). There is not much about us that make us biologically distinct from any other hominid, we are all are (were) very similar. What makes us unique is the ability to use symbols and by extension culture. Despite the best efforts of sociobiologists, I doubt there is a direct link between that and our genes.

Yea. What Acquiunk said. As a matter of fact, we share 50% of our DNA with cabbage. I know some people who seem to demonstrate those traits.

One of them was "elected" president