Missing Links

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-18-2017

Abstract

  • Recent analyses have identified more than 500 stretches of DNA that were lost from the human genome but still exist in chimpanzees and other mammals.
  • Three stretches appear to be DNA switches, and loss of two of them freed brains to grow and humans to evolve pair bonding with mates.
  • Loss of another switch from our ancestors may have refined our upright gait, which freed our hands to make and carry tools.

Publication Title

Scientific American

Volume

316

First Page

42

Last Page

47

Comments

This article was published in Scientific American, Volume 316, Pages 42-47.

The published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0517-42.

Copyright © 2017.

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