The Asian Connection

[j. d. worthington]

Well... Okay, yes, The French Connection did come to mind.... However, this is slightly different:

Study points to larger role of Asian ancestors in evolution - Yahoo! News

Title: "Study points to larger role of Asian ancestors in evolution", from AFP, datelined Mon., Aug. 6, 2007.

[Dave]

y-chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA testing has already revealed a much more complex history of human migrations than a simple 'Out of Africa' or 'Out of Eden' model. I expect that to be the way forward for Phylogeographic (mapping of human migrations) studies. I can't see the limited number of human teeth finds being very useful.

They are already linking back and forth migrations to climate changes and sea water salinity changes.

That report wasn't very clear though. Are they saying Modern Man didn't originate in Africa? Because that would be very contrary to popular scientific opinion. It seems to be saying that, as it mentions evolution in the title, and yet there has been little evolution taking place during the period of these recent migrations. There has been natural selection but we are all still the same species. It is precisely this kind of report that the Creationists pounce upon and hold up as an example of sloppy science. But maybe it was just sloppy reporting.

[j. d. worthington]

I'm betting it's the latter, myself (cf. my "Challenge(?) to Evolution" thread. I'd wager that if we'd seen the actual studies, or a science reporter from one of the science-oriented sites/sources, we'd be a lot clearer on what's being said. I have this suspicion (paranoid little me) that the reporting on such things lately in the general press is becoming more and more slanted to confusing reporting in order to encourage just the sort of reaction you mention... great way to scare up headlines to sell news or catch viewers' eyes, without actually having to have any substance to the "news" being reported... manufactured crises and controversies are all the rage, don'cha know?