Modern Humans Research Articles

Were Neanderthals the First Collectors? First Evidence Recovered in Level 4 of the Prado Vargas Cave, Cornejo, Burgos and Spain

Collecting is a form of leisure, and even a passion, consisting of collecting, preserving and displaying objects. When we look for its origin in the literature, we are taken back to “the appearance of writing and the fixing of knowledge”, specifically with the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal (7th century BC, Mesopotamia), and his fondness for collecting books, which in his case were in the form of clay tablets. This is not, however, a true reflection, for we have evidence of much earlier collectors. The curiosity and interest in keeping stones or fossils of different colors and shapes, as manuports, is as old as we are. For decades we have had evidence of objects of no utilitarian value in Neanderthal homes. Several European sites have shown that these Neanderthal groups treasured objects that attracted their attention. On some occasions, these objects may have been modified to make a personal ornament and may even have been integrated into subsistence activities such as grinders or hammers. Normally, one or two such specimens are found but, to date, no Neanderthal cave or camp has yielded as many as the N4 level of Prado Vargas Cave. In the N4 Mousterian level of Prado Vargas, 15 specimens of Upper Cretaceous marine fossils belonging to the Gryphaeidae, Pectinidae, Cardiidae, Pholadomyidae, Pleurotomariidae, Tylostomatidae and Diplopodiidae families were found in the context of clay and autochthonous cave sediments. During MIS 3, a group of Neanderthals transported at least fifteen marine fossils, which were collected from various Cretaceous units located in the surrounding area, to the Prado Vargas cave. The fossils, with one exception, show no evidence of having been used as tools; thus, their presence in the cave could be attributed to collecting activities. These activities could have been motivated by numerous tangible and intangible causes, which suggest that collecting activities and the associated abstract thinking were present in Neanderthals before the arrival of modern humans.

A history of multiple Denisovan introgression events in modern humans.

The identification of a new hominin group in the Altai mountains called Denisovans was one of the most exciting discoveries in human evolution in the last decade. Unlike Neanderthal remains, the Denisovan fossil record consists of only a finger bone, jawbone, teeth and skull fragments. Leveraging the surviving Denisovan segments in modern human genomes has uncovered evidence of at least three introgression events from distinct Denisovan populations into modern humans in the past. Each of them presents different levels of relatedness to the sequenced Altai Denisovan, indicating a complex relationship between these sister lineages. Here we review the evidence suggesting that several Denisovan populations, who likely had an extensive geographical range, were adapted to distinct environments and introgressed into modern humans multiple times. We further discuss how archaic variants have been affected by demographic history, negative and positive selection and close by proposing possible new lines of future research.

Efficiency of chewing load deficiency correction in clinical dental practice

Weakening of the chewing act, typical for modern humans due to consumption of soft food, causes a deficit of chewing load and has a negative effect on the dental system. To combat hypodynamia of the masticatory apparatus with the aim of preventing destructive processes in its structures, a gnathotraining system was developed, including electrical stimulation of the masticatory muscles themselves in physiological parameters, which develops the effect of “imaginary chewing”, and gnathotraining using chewing gum. In addition, functional training of the masticatory apparatus using chewing exercises was proposed. Considering that chewing gum practically does not compensate for the deficit of chewing load observed in modern society, the staff of the Kazan State Medical University and the Kazan National Research Technological University developed the “Denta Fit” dental trainer and a dental training system. It has been established that dental and jaw training stimulates secretion of saliva, its mineralizing potential, functional resistance of tooth enamel, allows achieving a good level of oral hygiene, reduces the rate of increase in the intensity of dental caries, as well as the severity of muscular-articular disorders of the temporomandibular joints, enhances neuromuscular activity of the masticatory muscles and regional blood flow. In children with permanent bite, dental and jaw training maintains the hydrogen index (pH) of oral fluid at a neutral level and provides, in combination with a toothbrush, optimal hygienic dental care, contributes to the formation of a correct dental occlusion. Thus, the effects of increased neuromuscular activity of the masticatory muscles, as well as regional vascular tone, arising during dental and jaw training, indirectly indicate that the dental and jaw system receives adequate mechanical loads necessary for the normal functioning of all its links. The results of the conducted studies indicate the effectiveness and feasibility of using dental training to improve dental status, which serves as a new approach to the prevention and treatment of dental diseases.

Tufas record significant imprints of climate and tectonic activity over the past 600 ka: Evidence from a multi-story wedge in Northwest Africa

The Quaternary Period climatic oscillations, typically those driven by Milankovitch cycles, have significantly left profound imprints in the geological records. However, the potential of terrestrial archives, particularly tufa deposits, as archives for Quaternary climate remain relatively underexplored. This study aims to contribute to filling the gap in a data-scarce region (Northwest Africa) through investigating Middle Pleistocene to Holocene groundwater-fed tufa deposits, using fieldwork-based, process-oriented facies analysis and advanced 230Th technique. Eight stratigraphic sections were measured, identifying thirteen sedimentary facies grouped into four facies associations representing specific depositional settings: (i) fluvio-lacustrine and palustrine tufa, (ii) barrage cascade tufa with buttresses, (iii) tufa in channels with pools, and (iv) tufa in shallow braided channels with free-flowing water. The depositional system comprises a single multi-story wedge of vertically and laterally stacked barrage-cascade dammed-area systems.Our Integrated analysis revealed significant tufa growth during MIS 14, with implications for a warm and humid MISs 15–13 ‘extra-long interglacial’, consistent with multiple paleoclimate records. Such conditions would have supported late Acheulean hominin occupation and the emergence of Early Modern Humans in the region around 300 ka. The findings also highlight the possible impact of the Mid-Brunhes Event (MBE) on tufa deposition patterns, likely through CO2-climate feedbacks, underscoring the sensitivity of tufa records to global climatic changes. Moreover, the study outcomes suggest significant regional tectonic activity during the late Middle Pleistocene, causing counter-clockwise rotation and northward tilting of MIS 14 deposits. The associated seismic events may have modified the hydrogeological budget and, by extension, altered the balance between tufa aggradation and degradation. The rotation about the vertical axis suggests a bookshelf faulting mechanism driven by regional left-lateral strike-slip tectonics. Differential karstic dissolution and tectonic forces would have further contributed to deposit tilting. The study highlights the potential of tufa as a valuable terrestrial archive for understanding Quaternary climate dynamics and tectonic processes. Future research should aim to expand the chronological framework and further investigate the climatic and tectonic influences on tufa deposition in this data-scarce region. This can be achieved through additional 230Th dating, high-resolution stable isotope measurements on microbialites, particularly focusing on the significance of the Mid-Brunhes Event (MBE) in Northwest Africa.

Initial upper Palaeolithic on the Iranian Plateau: Sorheh Rockshelter, Southern Alborz mountains

The Late Pleistocene of southwestern Asia witnessed hominin diversification, admixture, and adaptation to new environments. The Iranian Plateau in southwestern Asia lies at the crossroads between Africa, Europe, Central Asia, and the Far East, and therefore, has contributed substantially to the history of hominin migration. On the Iranian Plateau, the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition is a puzzling phase that lacks chronological precision and stratified archaeological materials. The timing and geographical context of this transition are essential for understanding the spread of modern humans and their interactions with other species, including the Neanderthals. Sorheh Rockshelter in the southern piedmonts of the Alborz Mountains on the northern Iranian Plateau is a newly discovered site on high altitude of 1903 m asl., with the potential to answer some of these questions. In 2019 and 2022, excavations at Sorheh revealed distinct hominin behavioural and settlement systems, falling under the description of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic in the Levant, eastern Europe, Siberia, and Mongolia. In the chronological window covered at Sorheh (∼50–35 ka), the Upper Palaeolithic cultures had already been developed in other regions of the Iranian Plateau. The new data we obtained from Sorheh determines, for the first time, a physiogeographic, chronostratigraphic, and anthropogenic picture of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic on the Iranian Plateau, filling the gap in the distribution of this techno-complex between the Levant and eastern Eurasia. Deciphering the Initial Upper Palaeolithic in Sorheh indicates the complex and diverse nature of hominin behaviours during the transitional Middle-Upper Palaeolithic phase and reveals the critical role of the northern Iranian Plateau in hominin expansion towards Central Asia.

The effectiveness of teaching human evolution to 14-15-year-olds in Slovenia Učinkovitost poučevanja evolucije človeka pri 14-do 15-letnikih v Sloveniji

In Slovenia, human evolution is first taught in biology classes to 14–15-year-old students. For many of them, this will be the only contact with this topic at school. The objective was to determine how much knowledge students acquired about human evolution. Data were collected with a questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale. The participants were 13–14-year-olds who had not yet learned about human evolution (the control group) and 15–16-year-olds who had learned about human evolution one year earlier in biology classes (the experimental group). The results show that students significantly improved their knowledge of human evolution with small to medium effect sizes. Students knew very well that modern humans are the only species of humans today and that they did not live at the same time as dinosaurs. The achievements were low on the following topics: modern humans lived at the same time as Neanderthals and mammoths, and modern humans did not evolve from Neanderthals. To the problematic topics, attention should be paid to teacher education and the primary school curriculum. There were few correlations between the knowledge of human evolution, acceptance of evolution, religiosity, and attitudes toward biology.

Evolutionary Pedagogy: Evolutionary Foundations of Certain Pedagogical Practices and Their Implications in Teaching Processes

Human evolution is the result of highly complex biological, psychological and cultural changes over millions of years. This process can be traced back to the evolution of modern humans, thanks to the ability of human ancestors to adapt to environmental conditions. The evolutionary process involves the development not only of physical characteristics, but also of mental capacities and social structures. It is therefore a natural consequence that evolution has fundamentally influenced human cultural and psychological traits. The main reason for the emergence of fields such as evolutionary psychology and evolutionary psychiatry in the light of recent studies is the search for the contributions of evolutionary processes to such fields. Evolutionary pedagogy is basically the result of such a search. It was shaped as a result of the search for the reflections of psychological and cultural situations affected by evolutionary processes on pedagogy. Therefore, evolutionary pedagogy is a synthesis and it seeks to explain how many pedagogical practices may have been shaped in the evolutionary process. To this end, it draws heavily on evolutionary psychology and directly on human biological evolution. Such a quest for grounding predicts that a more beneficial process can be realized in the teaching-learning process by reproducing evolutionary situations in the classroom environment. In other words, the learning process can become more effective if teachers use the features compatible with evolutionary processes in their teaching techniques, classroom management, and the development of skills for learning to learn, and if they include them in the classroom environment. This is the main starting point of the study. Throughout the study, some examples of the pedagogical practices in which can manifest itself are emphasized. In addition to the explanations and examples given in the study, other researchers may associate different pedagogical practices with evolutionary processes. Therefore, evolutionary pedagogy is not only a new field but also a field that is open to the interest of researchers as a field open to development.

«Սակրալը» Միրչա Էլիադեի կրոնի ֆենոմենոլոգիայում / "The Sacred" in Mircea Eliade's Phenomenology of Religion

This paper is dedicated to the interpretation of the key concept of "the sacred," which is frequently encountered in modern religious studies. The fundamental concept is most thoroughly presented in the works of Mircea Eliade, who is considered one of the most studied phenomenologists of religion today. Eliade describes the sacred as a deep layer of reality, which is expressed as an absolute distinction from the worldly (profane). The sacred manifests itself through religious symbols, rituals, and myths, which connect humans to the cosmos and the divine. Eliade emphasizes that the sacred represents metaphysical and spiritual worlds that transcend human logic and experience and can only be revealed in special states or through unique experiences. The work discusses the differences between the sacred and the profane, their interaction in religious experience, and Eliade's influence on the study of religion. The article proposes the hypothesis that the sacred, over time, has not distanced itself or become alienated from modern humans but, by penetrating various spheres of human activity, has sometimes become even closer to them. The scientific novelty of the work is related to a deep analysis of the relationship between the sacred and the profane, their manifestations in the modern world, and the nature of religious experience.

Endoscopic diagnosis of laryngeal precancerous lesions and early laryngeal cancer

ISince laryngeal cancer currently occupies a leading position in frequency of occurrence among all tumors of the upper respiratory tract of modern humans, the importance of its detection at an early stage of development cannot be overestimated. Existing diagnostic methods using rigid endoscopes, including direct and indirect laryngoscopy, have significant limitations in a number of patients. The use of modern video endoscopic technology allows diagnosing precancerous lesions and laryngeal cancer at an early stage of the tumor process, which significantly expands the possibilities of minimally invasive organ-preserving treatment.

An ancient ecospecies of Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori disturbs the stomach lining during long-term colonization of its human host, with sequelae including ulcers and gastric cancer1,2. Numerous H. pylori virulence factors have been identified, showing extensive geographic variation1. Here we identify a 'Hardy' ecospecies of H. pylori that shares the ancestry of 'Ubiquitous' H. pylori from the same region in most of the genome but has nearly fixed single-nucleotide polymorphism differences in 100 genes, many of which encode outer membrane proteins and host interaction factors. Most Hardy strains have a second urease, which uses iron as a cofactor rather than nickel3, and two additional copies of the vacuolating cytotoxin VacA. Hardy strains currently have a limited distribution, including in Indigenous populations in Siberia and the Americas and in lineages that have jumped from humans to other mammals. Analysis of polymorphism data implies that Hardy and Ubiquitous coexisted in the stomachs of modern humans since before we left Africa and that both were dispersed around the world by our migrations. Our results also show that highly distinct adaptive strategies can arise and be maintained stably within bacterial populations, even in the presence of continuous genetic exchange between strains.

Bony Labyrinth in Upper Paleolithic Individuals Buried at Sungir

The bony labyrinth of the Sungir individuals was studied using the computed tomography scanning on an industrial Phoenix X-ray device. Three-dimensional modeling and visualization were carried out with special software. Crania of an adult (Sungir 1) and two children (Sungir 2 and 3) were analyzed. Findings reveal that bilateral asymmetry is insignificant. Individual variation range suggests that the group is morphologically homogeneous. Comparison of averages with those of Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans demonstrates overall similarity with the latter and significant difference from the former in key traits. Based on results of the discriminant analysis, children unambiguously fall in the H. sapiens group, while the adult is halfway between the latter and the Neanderthal sample. But such a finding is neither exceptional nor even rare. A Neanderthal-like morphology of the bony labyrinth (large lateral semicircular canal and high sagittal index) occurs in a small number of Upper Paleolithic humans of the modern morphological type. The Sungir adult belongs to this group.

Genetic aspects of lactase deficiency in indigenous populations of Siberia.

The ability to metabolize lactose in adulthood is associated with the persistence of lactase enzyme activity. In European populations, lactase persistence is determined mainly by the presence of the rs4988235-T variant in the MCM6 gene, which increases the expression of the LCT gene, encoding lactase. The highest rates of lactase persistence are characteristic of Europeans, and the lowest rates are found in East Asian populations. Analysis of published data on the distribution of the hypolactasia-associated variant rs4988235-C in the populations of Central Asia and Siberia showed that the frequency of this variant increases in the northeastern direction. The frequency of this allele is 87 % in Central Asia, 90.6 % in Southern Siberia, and 92.9 % in Northeastern Siberia. Consequently, the ability of the population to metabolize lactose decreases in the same geographical direction. The analysis of paleogenomic data has shown that the higher frequency of the rs4988235-T allele in populations of Central Asia and Southern Siberia is associated with the eastward spread of ancient populations of the Eastern European steppes, starting from the Bronze Age. The results of polymorphism analysis of exons and adjacent introns of the MCM6 and LCT genes in indigenous populations of Siberia indicate the possibility that polymorphic variants may potentially be related to lactose metabolism exist in East Asian populations. In East Asian populations, including Siberian ethnic groups, a ~26.5 thousand nucleotide pairs long region of the MCM6 gene, including a combination of the rs4988285-A, rs2070069-G, rs3087353-T, and rs2070068-A alleles, was found. The rs4988285 and rs2070069 loci are located in the enhancer region that regulates the activity of the LCT gene. Analysis of paleogenomic sequences showed that the genomes of Denisovans and Neanderthals are characterized by the above combination of alleles of the MCM6 gene. Thus, the haplotype discovered appears to be archaic. It could have been inherited from a common ancestor of modern humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans, or it could have been acquired by hybridization with Denisovans or Neanderthals. The data obtained indicate a possible functional significance of archaic variants of the MCM6 gene.

Cultural rhythms and pulses on MIS 5-3 migration episodes of Homo sapiens dispersal in Northeast Africa

On the one hand, genetic observations suggest one essential migration of anatomically modern humans (AMH) from Africa to Eurasia had taken place around 70-50 ka BP and led to the dispersal of AMH all over the world (Out-of-Africa-II model). On the other hand, given the initial phase of the migration would have been located in East and Northeast Africa, archaeological patterning of cultural traits can, so far, neither support nor contradict such a model within the supposed area of migration, and at the time concerned hereby. This paper addresses the obvious invisibility of the migration in the archaeological record and the reasons for it. We propose the summer/winter rainfall frontier to have caused phases of isolation between East and Northeast Africa, impeding cultural exchange between these areas, either resulting from acculturation or migration. We exclude large scale events of dispersal, only small-scale movements of populations to be admitted. This might explain the lack of archaeological visibility of the migration event.

The Origin of H. s. denisovan and Their Dispersal Across Iran

Before the early 2000s, anthropologists spoke of two taxa existing in the Late Middle and Early Upper Pleistocene: anatomically modern humans in Africa and Neanderthals associated with the Mousterian industry in Eurasia. Therefore, all Eurasian Paleolithic sites dating to that period were believed to be Mousterian and were associated with Neanderthals. In 2010, owing to the sequencing of mtDNA from a fragment of the distal phalanx of the hand found in Denisova Cave, a third species was introduced, genetically different from both anatomically modern humans and Neanderthals. This new taxon was termed H. s. denisovan—or simply Denisovan. Further studies showed that this population dispersed in the Late Middle and Early Upper Pleistocene across vast territories of Central and Southeast Asia. A question arose as to where Denisovans had originated and which routes they had taken to get to the Altai. A series of articles forthcoming in this journal will address these questions. The first of them focuses on the origin of Denisovans on the basis of H. heidelbergensis and on their migration via Iran to Central Asia.

Temporal lobe evolution in Hominidae and the origin of human lobe proportions.

Objectives Evolutionary changes in hominin social complexity have been associated with increases in absolute brain size. The temporal lobes are nestled in the middle cranial fossae (MCF) of the skull, the dimensions of which allow estimation of temporal lobe volume (TLV) in extant and fossil taxa. Materials and Methods The main aim of this study is to determine where along the hominid phylogeny, major temporal lobe size transitions occurred. We used computed tomography (CT) scans of crania, 3D photogrammetry data, and laser surface scans of endocranial casts to measure seven MCF metrics in 11 extant anthropoid taxa using multiple regressions to estimate TLV in 5 extant hominids and 10 fossil hominins. Phylogenetic comparative methods mapped temporal lobe size, brain size, and temporal lobe proportions onto phylogenetic trees broadly for Hominidae and specifically for Hominini. Results Extant Homo sapiens were not an outlier in relative brain size, temporal lobe size, or proportions of the temporal lobes, but some proportions within the lobe were uniquely altered. The most notable changes in relative temporal lobe size and proportions saw a decrease in relative temporal lobe size and proportions in the genus Pan compared to other extant great apes and fossil hominins while there was a relative increase in the temporal lobe width and length in Australopithecus-Paranthropus clade compared to the genus Homo and other extant great apes including modern humans. Discussion We do not find support for the social brain, environmental or functional craniology hypotheses alone but think it prudent to consider the implications of cerebral reorganization between the temporal lobes and other regions of the brain within the context of these hypotheses and with future investigation is warranted.

Higher abundance of disturbance‐favoured trees and shrubs in European temperate woodlands prior to the late‐quaternary extinction of megafauna

Abstract Large herbivorous mammals strongly influence vegetation structure by creating and maintaining open areas and causing disturbance within closed woody habitats. The herbivores alive today in Europe are only a small remnant of the large species that existed in high diversity and abundance before modern humans. The extinction of so many large herbivores during the last 50,000 years, and the loss of megaherbivores (body weight ≥1000 kg) from most of the continent before the Pleistocene–Holocene transition, is likely to have had cascading effects on vegetation structure and composition. To evaluate these effects within the European temperate forest biome, we examine the abundance change of three important European woody taxa (deciduous oaks, Quercus spp.; hazel, Corylus [mainly C. avellana]; and yew, Taxus baccata) before and after the late‐Quaternary downgrading of the region''s large herbivore fauna. These taxa are disturbance‐favoured, depend on canopy openings for regeneration, and tend to decline in closed dense forests. Quercus and Corylus may thrive in systems affected by megafauna herbivory or fire, whilst Taxus is fire‐sensitive but can thrive in grazed systems. Using pollen‐based reconstructions (REVEALS), we investigated the proportional cover of these three focal taxa in the Last Interglacial (129,000–116,000 before present [BP]) and early–mid‐Holocene (8700–5700 BP). We found that woodlands in the Last Interglacial exhibited higher cover of Corylus and Taxus relative to the Holocene, with the former reaching very high percentage cover; meanwhile, Quercus had a consistent, moderately high percentage cover in both periods. Furthermore, we found that the cover of Corylus and Taxus appeared to be influenced more by unmeasured, non‐climatic factors than Quercus. Synthesis: The abundance of Taxus suggests a limited role of fire; whilst the observed levels of Taxus, Corylus and Quercus align with the potential influence of megafauna herbivory; however, a direct quantitative link remains to be established. Our results suggest that vegetation was structurally and compositionally affected by differences in disturbance regimes between the Last Interglacial and early–mid‐Holocene, with the loss of diverse disturbance regimes likely contributing to the divergence of Holocene vegetation from long‐term ecological baselines.

Zebrafish models of human-duplicated SRGAP2 reveal novel functions in microglia and visual system development.

The expansion of the human SRGAP2 family, resulting in a human-specific paralog SRGAP2C, likely contributed to altered evolutionary brain features. The introduction of SRGAP2C in mouse models is associated with changes in cortical neuronal migration, axon guidance, synaptogenesis, and sensory-task performance. Truncated SRGAP2C heterodimerizes with the full-length ancestral gene product SRGAP2A and antagonizes its functions. However, the significance of SRGAP2 duplication beyond neocortex development has not been elucidated due to the embryonic lethality of complete Srgap2 knockout in mice. Using zebrafish, we show that srgap2 knockout results in viable offspring and that these larvae phenocopy "humanized" SRGAP2C larvae, including altered morphometric features (i.e., reduced body length and inter-eye distance) and differential expression of synapse-, axonogenesis-, and vision-related genes. Through single-cell transcriptome analysis, we demonstrate a skewed balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurons that likely contribute to increased susceptibility to seizures displayed by Srgap2 mutant larvae, a phenotype resembling SRGAP2 loss-of-function in a child with early infantile epileptic encephalopathy. Single-cell data also shows strong endogenous expression of srgap2 in microglia with mutants exhibiting altered membrane dynamics and likely delayed maturation of microglial cells. Microglia cells expressing srgap2 were also detected in the developing eye together with altered expression of genes related to axonogenesis in mutant retinal cells. Consistent with the perturbed gene expression in the retina, we found that SRGAP2 mutant larvae exhibited increased sensitivity to broad and fine visual cues. Finally, comparing the transcriptomes of relevant cell types between human (+SRGAP2C) and non-human primates (-SRGAP2C) revealed significant overlaps of gene alterations with mutant cells in our zebrafish models; this suggests that SRGAP2C plays a similar role altering microglia and the visual system in modern humans. Together, our functional characterization of conserved ortholog Srgap2 and human SRGAP2C in zebrafish uncovered novel gene functions and highlights the strength of cross-species analysis in understanding the development of human-specific features.

Gene expansions contributing to human brain evolution.

Genomic drivers of human-specific neurological traits remain largely undiscovered. Duplicated genes expanded uniquely in the human lineage likely contributed to brain evolution, including the increased complexity of synaptic connections between neurons and the dramatic expansion of the neocortex. Discovering duplicate genes is challenging because the similarity of paralogs makes them prone to sequence-assembly errors. To mitigate this issue, we analyzed a complete telomere-to-telomere human genome sequence (T2T-CHM13) and identified 213 duplicated gene families likely containing human-specific paralogs (>98% identity). Positing that genes important in universal human brain features should exist with at least one copy in all modern humans and exhibit expression in the brain, we narrowed in on 362 paralogs with at least one copy across thousands of ancestrally diverse genomes and present in human brain transcriptomes. Of these, 38 paralogs co-express in gene modules enriched for autism-associated genes and potentially contribute to human language and cognition. We narrowed in on 13 duplicate gene families with human-specific paralogs that are fixed among modern humans and show convincing brain expression patterns. Using long-read DNA sequencing revealed hidden variation across 200 modern humans of diverse ancestries, uncovering signatures of selection not previously identified, including possible balancing selection of CD8B. To understand the roles of duplicated genes in brain development, we generated zebrafish CRISPR "knockout" models of nine orthologs and transiently introduced mRNA-encoding paralogs, effectively "humanizing" the larvae. Morphometric, behavioral, and single-cell RNA-seq screening highlighted, for the first time, a possible role for GPR89B in dosage-mediated brain expansion and FRMPD2B function in altered synaptic signaling, both hallmark features of the human brain. Our holistic approach provides important insights into human brain evolution as well as a resource to the community for studying additional gene expansion drivers of human brain evolution.

DEEP LEARNING BASED NETWORK INTRUSION DETECTION

As a direct consequence of the unrelenting march of technological innovation, the use of the Internet has become an unavoidable condition for the life of modern humans. The Internet has increased both the quantity and range of situations in which information products can be useful or non-useful. It’s no surprise that as the number of different systems and users has grown, so have the number of different ways to exploit those systems. A security issue has arisen with such diversity and growth. Its diversity and increase in quantity introduce new system weaknesses and thus new attack strategies. Methods for detecting both internal and external attacks are suggested as a solution to this issue. The purpose of this research, a Convolutional Neural Network was utilized to identify intrusions, also known as attacks for the imbalanced class distribution in the NF-BoT-IoT data set, Synthetic Minority Over Sampling Technique, Random Over Sampling and Random Under Sampling methods were used. K-Fold Cross Validation, one of the strategies for splitting the data set, was utilized to evaluate the performance of classification models and to train the developed model. The model’s performance was evaluated using the accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score performance criteria.

Developmentalism, technocracy and legitimacy crises of humanities: A Third World perspective

PurposeThe visible ill-effects of the developmental enterprises in the ex-colonies and the tendency towards technocratic totalitarianism, in many ways, have altered the way modern humans perceived the idea of “progress” and “development” historically since the Cold War. This paper presents a deconstructive-transdisciplinary critique of the pervasive ideology by focusing on three nodal points in the stages of “development”: (1) the rise of technocratic modern science; (2) the making of the Third World; and (3) de-legitimisation of its indigenous knowledge paradigms.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the first-hand accounts of the researchers, social scientists, activists and environmentalists, this paper presents an extensive critique of the violence involved in the development enterprises and recommends possible ways to move beyond the developmental hegemony. This paper is a theoretical investigation that adopts an interpretative, pluralistic, transdisciplinary approach, in order to deconstruct the development ideology and analyse the ramifications of the developmental propaganda and practice as they unfolded in the Global South.FindingsThis paper highlights the need to decondition the social imaginary from the hegemony of developmentalism and its by-product scientism and “technological rationality” for an inclusive, pluralistic, democratic social order.Research limitations/implicationsThe focal area of this work is India in particular and Global South in general. It studies the era between the 1950s and 1980s when the major development enterprises took place and studies the consequences they entailed.Social implicationsThe scope of this paper encompasses every socio-economic, ecological and epistemological domain affected by the detrimental effects of the developmental enterprises in the Global South.Originality/valueThe originality of this work lies in its transdisciplinary approach. The scope of this paper is extensive and covers nearly every domain of human existence that has been affected by the development debacle and technocratic totalitarianism in the post-War era.