Did all humans originate in Africa?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Banish the term race then. Subspecies, lineage, clade, population if you prefer. It is unfortuate that that the word race is so loaded with meaning. It is a good taxonomic shorthand for subspecies as long as you are talking about say canids as opposed to hominids but as soon as you get near the critters that walk upright, even 200,000 year old ones…</p>

<p>Yes the geneticists have pretty much blasted apart any practical definition of race except for geographically isolated populations but the term is still used in various ways with various meanings by scientists from different disciplines and while looking at the molecular level you cannot tell a domesticated dog from a wolf they still bahave quit a bit differently so whatever the eminent geneticist said taxonomists will still have Rover as a subspecies or a race of Canis lupus.</p>

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<p>It’s isn’t the word “race” that the scientists are objecting to, higherlead, It’s the notion that there are any measurable criteria for dividing the human race the way you want to.</p>

<p>It’s still going to be unscientific, no matter what you call it. The evidence shows that there is more genetic variation within what you’re calling subspecies than there is between them.</p>

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<p>I don’t particularly want to divide the human race. Remember I am the guy who thinks the concept of species doesn’t even quit hold water.</p>

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<p>It appears the British Parliament is wrestling with the definition of both human and species. It is arather sticky wicket.</p>

<p><a href=“http://washingtontimes.com/article/20070819/COMMENTARY/108190012/1012[/url]”>http://washingtontimes.com/article/20070819/COMMENTARY/108190012/1012&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;