Paleobiology and evolution of the Neanderthals of El Sidrón

karimamarika456

The first paleoanthropological studies of the Neanderthal fossils from El Sidrón were undertaken on a sample without a documented archaeological context. After the systematic excavations undertaken starting in by Prof. Javier Fortea, Professor at the University of Oviedo, an abundant collection of human fossils extracted under scientific conditions was recovered in successive excavation campaigns. It was in when the MNCN-CSIC Paleoanthropology Group that I direct became responsible for its paleobiological research. After the premature and unfortunate death of Prof. Fortea, Dr. Marco de la Rasilla assumed the direction of the field work, thanks to which the collection increased considerably. As a more specialized feature, a new way of excavating has been inaugurated at this site, understanding the recovery of records at a site in a multidisciplinary context. As an example, it is possible to cite the design and development of a novel methodology aimed at making the extraction of ancient genetic material possible: the Clean Excavation Protocol.

From the sustained scientific analysis of the collection throughout these years we can highlight two key general aspects. First: the El Sidrón collection has come to fill a secular void in Spanish paleoanthropology . Unlike other neighboring countries where the Middle Paleolithic human fossil record is rich and diverse, the Iberian Peninsula has lacked a truly representative sample. Fortunately, El Sidrón has provided the best collection of Homo neanderthalensis fossils in this geographical space and one of the best in the world. To everyone's satisfaction, the remains of El Sidrón, due to their abundance, state of conservation and wealth of information, more than fill this historical lack. As we know, DNA can B2B Email List provide enormous information about organisms that have already disappeared, but to do so from the first moment, even before extracting the fossil, rigorous conditions must be observed to avoid, on the one hand, contamination with modern DNA, and on the other to promote the non-degradation of potential genetic material. Linking with this, a relevant contribution of the Sidrón Project, and of revolutionary consequences in the world of archaeo-paleontology, has been its contribution to the studies of Paleogenetics and Paleogenomics, thanks to the close collaboration with the CSIC Research Professor, Dr. Carles Lalueza-Fox.



Second. The scientific research carried out in recent years has contributed in a key way to changing the conception of Neanderthals both in Spanish society and worldwide. During these years of research, a constant flow of information has been established from the scientific field to society through news, informative talks, exhibitions, documentaries, etc., reviving the growing interest in human evolution in Spanish society. Likewise, the results obtained have contributed significantly to making the Neanderthal universe known and understood to the general public, stripping them of their crude and dehumanized image, placing them in their proper place as a human species so different and at the same time so close to our own. In this area, our participation in the Neanderthal Genome Project stands out . The excellent preservation of DNA in the El Sidrón fossils, as well as a novel methodology (the aforementioned Clean Excavation Protocol) has made possible numerous studies in this area that have represented a qualitative leap in terms of information about Neanderthals as organisms, reaching the level of gene resolution, with examples in mitochondrial DNA, FOX P genes, MCR, blood group, bitter taste, DNA in the sediment, etc.