jerry submitted, created time 5 months 2 weeks (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

When it comes to the extremely difficult task of sequencing caveman DNA, the third time may be the charm for David Caramelli. After two controversial attempts, the biological anthropologist at the University of Florence, Italy, and colleagues claim to have successfully sequenced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from the fossils of a Cro-Magnon, a 28,000-year-old European ancestor of living humans. The mtDNA matches that of some modern Europeans but differs from that of Neandertals, shedding light on the fate of these ancient hominids

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DanyC submitted, created time 10 months 1 day (www.newscientist.com)

The new claim is based on the use of advanced techniques to date soil in which the bones of the ape-man Orrorin tugensis were found. Apart from revealing their antiquity, their studies show the fossils belonged to upright creatures and must therefore be direct ancestors of humans today.

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DanyC submitted, created time 10 months 1 day (news.nationalgeographic.com)

The hypothesis is the latest in a string of diseases proposed to explain the small-bodied fossils. The scientists who originally discovered the remains hailed them as representing a heretofore unknown species, Homo floresiensis, that lived at the same time as modern humans 18,000 years ago.
PS:
Cretinism can cause dwarfing and mental retardation, and is related to nutritional deficiencies, primarily a lack of iodine.

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