South Americans May Have Traveled to Polynesia 800 years ago

 Researchers suggest genetic analyses show "....DNA swaps between the voyagers and people on a still-undetermined eastern Polynesian island were followed by the spread of the South American ancestry to other eastern  Polynesian islands" (Moreno-Estrada) It is suggested that many Homo groups lived during the Middle Pleistocene and were "...too closely..." related to have been distinct species. The groups would have eventually mated with each other. However it is not known when exactly during that era, the groups mated and there is no definite distinction (genetically nor phenotypically) in Homo sapiens, Denisovans and other ancient Homo populations. Scientist John Hawks from the the University of Wisconsin-Madison, shares new fossil evidence came from the region of Israel.  molar tooth from the lower jar of an individual found near the site called Neshar Ramla (~140 000 and 120 000 years ago) This suggests that a previously unknown Eurasian Homo population lived at the site. 

To continue, "...back-and-forth..." migrations by Homo groups between Africa and Asia started ~400 000 years ago. Rains had turned parts of deserts into green passages covered, which were identified at a Saudi territory that once hosted hunter-gatherers, whose tools were left behind. Stone tools found at the site (~200 000 years ago) resembles like tools found in Africa (from the same H. sapiens)  To conclude, the route of the groups is shown and it is definitely a reason that migration has occurred. However, one should not assume this is could be the only reason. Further research must be conducted. 

The Genetic Lineages of the Modern heirs of the Incan Empire

A team consisting of members from across South America has recently published the first genetic study on the modern descendants of the imperial Inca lineages. The Inca arrived in the Cusco valley and established the largest empire in the Americas, Tawantinsuyu; which served as the cultural center of the Andes for six thousand years. However, despite the vast collections of archaeological and cultural findings, the history of these people vanishes in time due to the lack of a proper writing system. The DNA of mummified remains could have helped the researchers, however most were burned or buried in unknown locations when the Christian conquistadors were persecuting these people. Fortunately, most of the Inca noble families' descendants still live in South America and are the most homogeneous group of Inca lineage. These individuals were studied looking for markers on the Y chromosome and the mtDNA, the results were then compared to the natives from Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Brazil. "The results show distinctive patrilineal origins to two founder individuals who lived between 1000 to 1500 AD, a period between the decline of former Tiwanaku (south) and Wari (north) contemporary empires, and the rise of the Inca empire a few centuries later," says geneticist Fabricio Santos from the University Federal de Minas Gerais. The work also showed that the mtDNA varied widely, suggesting that arranged marriages with neighboring people to form bonds betweens nobles across the empire.
I think its incredible that these Inca families are still showing continuity since before the Americas were "discovered". I also think its very important to study these groups of people, it is a good feeling when you know some history about your past and the people you come from. The colonization of the globe by europeans, really messed this up for people across the globe. Not only were the lives of these people ruined but it makes many feel like they don't fit in anywhere and do not know their family history. Of course the people of South America are not the only ones studies like this should continue around the world.  

https://www.history.com/topics/inca

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-04-genetics-modern-heirs-inca-lineages.html#jCp

Darwinian Mystery of Odd South American Mammals Solved by Protein Sequencing

A discovery that for 200 years remained a puzzle, has finally been resolved through new research led by the Natural History Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, and the University of New York. This "puzzle" involved the strange group of South America's native ungulates (hooved mammals) that Charles Darwin referred to as "the strangest animals ever discovered." Originally, it was thought by some taxonomists that these animals were related to elephants and other species with ancient evolutionary ties to Africa. As it turns out, these animals--which disappeared 10,000 years ago--are actually related to mammals like horses.

This discovery was based on fossil protein sequencing, rather than DNA sequencing. Because DNA molecules deteriorate in warm, wet conditions, which is the climate in South America, scientists turned to investigate proteins instead. They did so by analyzing the collagen of these mammals. Collagen, which is a structural protein found in all animal bones, can survive for over millions of years in a wide range of conditions. Because specific coding sequences found in the organism's DNA control the chemical structure of the amino acids that make up these proteins, scientists have used this relationship between proteins and DNA to compare how closely related these animals are to other species. In other words, the amino acid composition in different species can be compared with that of the ungulates in order to understand how closely related the different species are.

The scientists involved in this research used proteomic analysis to screen 48 fossils of two species--Toxodon platensis and Macrauchenia patachonica--of which were the same species that Darwin discovered 180 years ago in Uruguay and Argentina (their remains only). They were able to acquire 90 percent of the collagen sequence for both species, and showed that their closest relatives were the perissodactyls--this is the group that includes horses, rhinos, and tapirs, which makes them a part of Laurasiatheria. What is very interesting about this resolved discovery is that the ancestors of these South American ungulates must have originated from North America more than 60 million years ago. This would have been around the time during the mass extinction, which killed off non-avian dinosaurs and other vertebrates.

Original article: click here.
Related article before the discovery: click here.