You find a sheet of paper in a pile on your desk. The pile is a set of papers for a friend of yours you do some "pro bono" work for. He's your average 30 yr old single male with no animals and--as far as you know--nothing really going on in his life.
Most of it is pretty normal, stuff like food and gas. (Known Normal Human DNA)
But there's also some atypical instances, like "Victoria's Secret", various shoe stores, and a couple runs to Petsmart. There's also a strange charge from a local OB/GYN office and a donation to PETA and a breast cancer research fund. ((Differences from Known Human DNA))
You recently spoke to your friend and they made no mention of any of these and no mention that their card/account information was missing. ((The Human Genome has not notably changed recently and has no indication of recent unstudied change))
Which do you think is more likely?
1) Your friend is making strange purchases? (Variation in Human Genome)
2) One of your other client's papers ended up in his stack of papers (Genome is not Human)
Let's take this a step further. Let's assume you're a sexist bastard who refuses to do any accounting work for women--and always have--despite the fact that your office works for a Femi-Nazi Coalition ((You're unfamiliar with those combinations of DNA variations))
Which do you think is more likely?
1) This one of your other clients? ((This is another Homo-species you're familiar with))
2) One of your coworker's papers ended up on your desk. ((This is a Homo-species you have not encountered before))
I hope I put that into terms that make more sense to you?
There are probably holes in my metaphor, but please try to ignore them for my greater point
Most of it is pretty normal, stuff like food and gas. (Known Normal Human DNA)
But there's also some atypical instances, like "Victoria's Secret", various shoe stores, and a couple runs to Petsmart. There's also a strange charge from a local OB/GYN office and a donation to PETA and a breast cancer research fund. ((Differences from Known Human DNA))
You recently spoke to your friend and they made no mention of any of these and no mention that their card/account information was missing. ((The Human Genome has not notably changed recently and has no indication of recent unstudied change))
Which do you think is more likely?
1) Your friend is making strange purchases? (Variation in Human Genome)
2) One of your other client's papers ended up in his stack of papers (Genome is not Human)
Let's take this a step further. Let's assume you're a sexist bastard who refuses to do any accounting work for women--and always have--despite the fact that your office works for a Femi-Nazi Coalition ((You're unfamiliar with those combinations of DNA variations))
Which do you think is more likely?
1) This one of your other clients? ((This is another Homo-species you're familiar with))
2) One of your coworker's papers ended up on your desk. ((This is a Homo-species you have not encountered before))
I hope I put that into terms that make more sense to you?


Still Empress of the Poofy Purple Pillow Pile Palace!!
Continued Love of my Aussie <3
Continued Love of my Aussie <3
This message last edited by LadyLorraine on 25/03/2010 at 07:49:47 PM
Possible new human ancestor found in Siberia
25/03/2010 03:26:22 AM
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Yes, I found that very exciting (link to new scientist article)
25/03/2010 08:02:55 AM
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Humans and chimps have a last shared ancestor ca 5 million years ago *NM*
25/03/2010 12:51:22 PM
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Yes, but
25/03/2010 12:53:17 PM
- 388 Views
sounds like she would have been somewhere between Neanderthal and Homo Erectus
25/03/2010 05:09:29 PM
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Re: Possible new human ancestor found in Siberia
25/03/2010 04:21:03 PM
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DNA doesn't get weird because of that
25/03/2010 04:42:45 PM
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Correct me if I'm wrong but...
25/03/2010 04:54:51 PM
- 406 Views
You are wrong.
25/03/2010 05:34:44 PM
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Usually when you correct someone
25/03/2010 06:40:49 PM
- 412 Views
Re: Usually when you correct someone
25/03/2010 06:46:02 PM
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Re: Usually when you correct someone
25/03/2010 06:50:07 PM
- 386 Views
Re: Usually when you correct someone
25/03/2010 06:51:45 PM
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it doesn't take much understanding of a gene sequence to place it.
25/03/2010 05:41:18 PM
- 429 Views
Re: it doesn't take much understanding of a gene sequence to place it.
25/03/2010 06:46:56 PM
- 504 Views
what would they have to find for you?
25/03/2010 06:59:34 PM
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Re: what would they have to find for you?
25/03/2010 07:16:47 PM
- 396 Views
okay, think of it this way then.
25/03/2010 07:47:38 PM
- 365 Views
What the? You've been in my office?
25/03/2010 08:09:08 PM
- 361 Views
*shake head* DNA analysis doesn't need more than a pinky finger.
25/03/2010 04:42:45 PM
- 323 Views
Please reread what I said
25/03/2010 04:56:32 PM
- 390 Views
please learn to fire your neurons.
25/03/2010 05:28:10 PM
- 349 Views
Re: please learn to fire your neurons.
25/03/2010 05:35:51 PM
- 461 Views
living in a small city in Kansas
25/03/2010 05:41:54 PM
- 321 Views