The Origin and Dispersal of Modern Humans - Essay Example

The superior stock from Africa essentially dominated these other species. Supporters of the Replacement Model do not believe that interbreeding was common or likely and would not be relevant on an evolutionary level (Clarke, 1-2).

          There is no perfect theory. The only disagreement that I have with this theory is that it so staunchly argues that interbreeding is not a factor in the origins of modern humans and their population on the planet. I think that may be a bit short-cited. This would be entirely believable if the distinction between the African stock was vastly superior to the products of evolution that have occurred in Europe and Asia. However, if there were enough similarities and interaction it seems inevitable that inbreeding would most certainly occur. This favors the Partial Replacement Theory (Clarke 2-3). However, either perspective is stronger than the idea that all humans developed only in Africa and is solely the result of mass migration.

PART 2

          Most people have been taught that Neanderthals were the quintessential “caveman.” Slow moving, slower thinking, and died off due to an inability to adapt, allowing Homo sapiens to become the ultimate dominant species of Hominid. However, modern researchers are changing that perspective and putting the myth to rest that Neanderthals were slow-witted and had little or no real interaction with the African Modern humans migrating into Europe and Asia. Recently remains were discovered that confirm that inbreeding did occur between Homo sapiens and Neanderthal. This lends credence to the theory that Partial Replacement took place. Neanderthal is presently being found in the modern populations of human beings throughout Asia and Europe at a ratio of %1to %4 presence of Neanderthal ancestry (Viegas 1).

          The skeletal remains found date back 30,000 to 40,000 years ago; they belong to an individual who shows cranial signs of inherited traits of their mixed heritage. For example, the lower jaw is neither jutting as in modern humans nor was it non-existent, which is representative of the Neanderthal. Based on genetic research the individual's mitochondrial DNA, those genes passed from mother to child, is Neanderthal.  They are certain that the offspring’s mother was Neanderthal and the father was a Modern human. This research into the Neanderthal connection has shown that Neanderthals were much more advanced and developed culturally than previously thought. They had a culture all of their own (Viegas 1). This has led even greater credence to the Partial Replacement theory. It supports that the Neanderthals and Homo sapiens interacted, interbred, and intercommunicated, which eventually lead to the Neanderthal species being bred out in favor of modern traits.