Evidence for Early Pleistocene Afro-Iberian dispersals

[Angela]

A while ago I was musing about role of Mt DNA and it's role in cold and hot climates:
http://www.eupedia.com/forum/thread...ergy-production-Do-Mt-U-people-love-to-suntan

I'm mtDna U2e, and obviously so was my mother, and yet our tolerances for heat and humidity were diametrically opposed. It was never too hot for my mother, and high humidity had barely any effect on her. She also absolutely loved sunbathing, although she rarely indulged in it because she was always working.

As for me, it depends, as Maciamo said, where I am. My idea of hell is a humid Florida summer (all of the southeast in fact) and the American midwest at any time of year, because it's freezing cold and humid in the winter and broiling hot and humid in the summer, and the other two seasons barely exist. (Parts of Italy are like that too in certain areas like the Po Valley or even the area around Firenze for example; it might not snow as much, but constant low temperatures and rain can be very unpleasant. ) My preference is a Mediterranean, dry climate, but even then I really don't like it when it gets too hot, and although I love the sensation of the sun on my skin, more than an hour or so of sunbathing can lead to sunburns and even sun poisoning, so I run from shade to shade. I used to blame all this on my father and his Alpine genes. He'd start moaning at the fist warm day after spring ended.

So, I think it's more complicated than just the mtDna. It might be overall adaptation to climate, perhaps?

 

[LeBrok]

I'm mtDna U2e, and obviously so was my mother, and yet our tolerances for heat and humidity were diametrically opposed. It was never too hot for my mother, and high humidity had barely any effect on her. She also absolutely loved sunbathing, although she rarely indulged in it because she was always working.

As for me, it depends, as Maciamo said, where I am. My idea of hell is a humid Florida summer (all of the southeast in fact) and the American midwest at any time of year, because it's freezing cold and humid in the winter and broiling hot and humid in the summer, and the other two seasons barely exist. (Parts of Italy are like that too in certain areas like the Po Valley or even the area around Firenze for example; it might not snow as much, but constant low temperatures and rain can be very unpleasant. ) My preference is a Mediterranean, dry climate, but even then I really don't like it when it gets too hot, and although I love the sensation of the sun on my skin, more than an hour or so of sunbathing can lead to sunburns and even sun poisoning, so I run from shade to shade. I used to blame all this on my father and his Alpine genes. He'd start moaning at the fist warm day after spring ended.

So, I think it's more complicated than just the mtDna. It might be overall adaptation to climate, perhaps?

I dwelled on the subject but couldn't find anything obvious. This story is complicated, as you noticed, and advantages of Mt DNA in relation to energy production not very pronounced to catch it with a naked eye.

 

[Angela]

I dwelled on the subject but couldn't find anything obvious. This story is complicated, as you noticed, and advantages of Mt DNA in relation to energy production not very pronounced to catch it with a naked eye.

Well, U2e must be maladapted in some way, because we barely make a blip anywhere.

 

[LeBrok]

Well, U2e must be maladapted in some way, because we barely make a blip anywhere.

Don't despair, maybe its best days are still to come.

 

[Angela]

Don't despair, maybe its best days are still to come.

Well, it won't be due to the women of my maternal line. We get hives at the thought of more than two or three children.

 

[LeBrok]

Well, it won't be due to the women of my maternal line. We get hives at the thought of more than two or three children.

Oh, if this sits on Mt DNA then we might have a problem.

 

[epoch]

It will be quite interesting to see the genome of the Sima de los Huesos samples. First, how related are they to Denisovans. Secondly, it would be interesting to see if they have either Denisovan admixture or share the 10% admixture that Denisovans received from a mystery population. As we already have been granted a glimpse into the results being that these samples are halfway Neanderthals there has to be an admixture event that brought the Denisovan mtDNA into these proto-Neanderthals.

 

[epoch]

could be but from Tierra del Fuego

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaghan_people#Adaptations_to_climate



The bit about higher metabolism is interesting. IIRC metabolism is connected to mtdna.

Aborginals, while AHM still our best proxy for all paleolithic hominids, also were know to sleep naked outside even during frost nights. From the book The Original Australians. Furthermore it is noticeable that Tibetans have a height adaptation gene received from Denisovans that influences metabolism rather than increase hemoglobin content.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/07/tibetans-inherited-high-altitude-gene-ancient-human

 

[Greying Wanderer]

Well, U2e must be maladapted in some way, because we barely make a blip anywhere.

Perfect for Mars maybe

 

[Greying Wanderer]

Aborginals, while AHM still our best proxy for all paleolithic hominids, also were know to sleep naked outside even during frost nights. From the book The Original Australians. Furthermore it is noticeable that Tibetans have a height adaptation gene received from Denisovans that influences metabolism rather than increase hemoglobin content.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/07/tibetans-inherited-high-altitude-gene-ancient-human

Yes, cold desert nights.