"New research into human evolutionary biology shows that the key differences between modern humans and Neanderthals were brought about by certain genetics switches. These switches controlled the phenotypic expression of certain genes by turning them "on" or "off.'" http://www.techtimes.com/articles/5...ce-between-neanderthals-and-modern-humans.htm "One caveat about the research is that one person's epigenome can vary markedly from another's due to diet, environment and other factors. It is therefore impossible to know whether the on/off patterns found in Neanderthal genes are typical of the species overall or peculiar to the individual studied. Other DNA with big differences in on/off patterns between the extinct and present-day humans is associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders including autism, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. More of the Neanderthal versions were silenced." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/18/dna-neanderthals-modern-humans-genes_n_5168730.html This research is fascinating, not least because what we experience can affect not just our mental and physical health, but the physical and mental health of our descendants as well. And not just exposure to disease, but food availability, air quality, water contamination, and other environmental issues that directly cause physical changes, but also perhaps situations that cause stress reactions in us could be passed through generations. And being able to manipulate these switches might hold the keys to at very least, much longer, better quality lives. If that is, enough people go into these fields and manage not to get routed into weapons research.
