The First Face of America

[CMD]

Nova program alert includes a link that allows you to watch the program online. Usually the case with Nova. I thought it very good. Did not discuss the Pacific Kelp Highway route, but the show was focused on genetics, and illuminating the ancestry of Native Americans today to remains like the Anzick child buried with Clovis cache, as well as to the most recent genetic information from the Alaskan two child burial from ancient Beringia. Great photos of fluted points! Well done overall, as pertaining to the narrative that is developing out of the genomic studies.

So, just repeating the link here, in case you missed the show.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evoluti...e-america.html

Since he is included in the story, here is a synopsis of the Anzick Boy, and his importance....

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/02/native-americans-descend-ancient-montana-boy

[Kyflintguy]

Watched the show Charlie, thanks for the heads up!

My thoughts mirrored your summary, I was surprised the Kelp Highway route was not included or they could have made the sparkly migration route dots hit that part of the coast at very least right?? Lol!

It was very well put together and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The child burial excavation and accompanying artwork rendering were really gut wrenching for me seeing the offering and position... The extinct accompanying species is a miraculous find in itself. Really powerful stuff! Loved it!

[Scorpion68]

Charlie - That video was perhaps the most intriguing that I've watched, bar none. The story the young girl's remains were able to tell and the genetic analysis that our scientists were able to accomplish almost certainly confirmed the Beringia hypothesis. Doesn't this genetic study pretty much negate the Atlantic/European migration into the Americas, especially since, according to the video, Native American DNA does not exist outside the Americas. Just a truly amazing find. While I"m at it, have you seen the article on the Cheddar Man from England. His remains were found in the Cheddar Gorge in England in 1903 but the article didn't say when the DNA analysis was done, just that the 10,000 year old remains revealed this man probably had dark curly hair, dark skin and blue eyes. Anywho - Thanks for the Nova alert. It was really informative and entertaining.

[JoshinMO]

Never heard of that Anzick Boy, wow! Thanks Charlie, I used to watch PBS all the time, maybe i should flip back sometimes for old time's sake. Definitely gonna check out those link's.

[SDhunter]

Thanks again for the heads up Charlie!

[CMD]

Charlie - That video was perhaps the most intriguing that I've watched, bar none. The story the young girl's remains were able to tell and the genetic analysis that our scientists were able to accomplish almost certainly confirmed the Beringia hypothesis. Doesn't this genetic study pretty much negate the Atlantic/European migration into the Americas, especially since, according to the video, Native American DNA does not exist outside the Americas. Just a truly amazing find. While I"m at it, have you seen the article on the Cheddar Man from England. His remains were found in the Cheddar Gorge in England in 1903 but the article didn't say when the DNA analysis was done, just that the 10,000 year old remains revealed this man probably had dark curly hair, dark skin and blue eyes. Anywho - Thanks for the Nova alert. It was really informative and entertaining.

I read a number of articles regarding Cheddar Man yesterday, Chuck. Many were presented as if it was a surprise that you would have a combo of dark skin and blue eyes. But, the fact is, realization that light skin pigmentation developed later then believed in fact dates back to other studies from several years back:

https://www.livescience.com/42838-eu...sequenced.html

This discovery of the late appearance of light skin pigmentation threw cold water on the efforts of certain white supremacist's groups to seize upon the Solutrean Hypotheseis to prove the white man beat Native Americans to the Americas. The Solutrean technology simply far predates the development of light skin pigmentation.

Regarding the Anzick child and Solutrean Hypotheseis. I think the genomics don't support hypothetical Solutrean contribution to the Native American gene pool. I suppose they still could have arrived in the Delmarva and died out. I'm not sure how to interpret it all, but I don't think the Solutrean hypothesis is dead and buried. The appearance of a Clovis cache with the Anzick boy might argue against Clovis being developed from Solutrean, but maybe that depends on how Clovis spread, by moving bands, or by technology as an idea spreading like wildfire across existing populations. Just speculating, I'm not qualified to offer much in that area of research.

[BabaORiley]

I just finished watching the NOVA program last night. It was top notch as always with them. I also never knew of the Anzick boy in Montana. As you watch the show and listen to the evidence presented you see just how brutal and dangerous life was at that time. The things that can be pinpointed from testing and accurately dated are just amazing. I believe as this technology advances we are going to continue to see new proof brought to light that humans were here much earlier than originally thought.