04-09-2012, 12:23 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Oldenburg, Germany
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Neanderthal parahumans?
It seems it is possible to get significant amounts of neanderthal DNA. And you just know that someone in the Transhuman Space setting will attempt to recreate them.
So, what should a hypothetical Neanderthal parahuman template look like (based on the latest scientific knowledge of them)? And how would they fit into society?
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04-09-2012, 12:26 AM | #2 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Forest Grove, Beaverton, Oregon
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Re: Neanderthal parahumans?
Humanoid and a bit muscular with an even higher preference for meat than us, and no known examples of art.
That's about all that's known for sure. Everything else is conjecture. Even the assumption that they were Caucasian and mostly hairless is excessive anthropomorphication in my book. (Just because early humans interbred with them doesn't mean as much as it should since humans will "love" anything that sits still long enough.) |
04-09-2012, 12:41 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Oregon
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Re: Neanderthal parahumans?
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04-09-2012, 01:50 PM | #4 | |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Neanderthal parahumans?
Quote:
"N-Words" by Ted Kosmatka is an excellent short story about exactly that. |
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04-09-2012, 03:32 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Oregon
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Re: Neanderthal parahumans?
I'm reminded of the Neanderthal Parallax trilogy by Robert Sawyer, in which Neanderthals from a parallel-dimension Earth find their way into our world. Of course, these Neanderthals were basically a Mary-Sue race, being genius atheist scientists with incredible physical strength, who'd given up all war centuries ago. Still, an interesting set of books.
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04-11-2012, 06:09 PM | #6 | |
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: At the Stern, Raising the Black
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Re: Neanderthal parahumans?
Quote:
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04-11-2012, 06:09 PM | #7 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Forest Grove, Beaverton, Oregon
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Re: Neanderthal parahumans?
Pendulum swings from one extreme to another. So human as to be just an ethnicity to non-sapient monsters. Silliness all around.
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04-11-2012, 06:15 PM | #8 |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Neanderthal parahumans?
Did you actually read or listen to the story I posted? It's central conceit that Neanderthals were just economically less viable after the extinction of the European megafauna isn't an unlikely one, IMO.
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04-11-2012, 06:47 PM | #9 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Forest Grove, Beaverton, Oregon
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Re: Neanderthal parahumans?
Quote:
Exactly why they died out is still up for argument. Though I've read that recent evidence shows that they were "on the way out" before pure-ish humans sauntered onto the scene in Europe. |
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04-11-2012, 06:50 PM | #10 |
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Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Neanderthal parahumans?
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