Tag Archives: colonize

Denisovan genes helped early humans colonize the Americas

Denisovan genes helped early humans colonize the Americas

Some of the first human settlers in the Americas carried more than primitive skills and tools, they also brought a small but powerful genetic variant called MUC19. That gene fragment, inherited from an extinct hominin called Denisovans, appears to have helped early people cope with new diseases, foods, and landscapes. In a new study, a team of scientists …

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This tiny animal could help humans colonize Mars

This tiny animal could help humans colonize Mars

If humans ever leave Earth to colonize other planets, they will need companions that are incredibly resilient and able to shrug off the lethal conditions found in outer space. Tiny animals called tardigrades, only visible under magnification, are perfect for the job. At about 0.004 inches long, a tardigrade can nap through a blast of ionizing radiation strong enough to …

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