----- Original Message -----
From: Falasha Leott
To: AAT@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, October 24, 2009 6:14 AM
Subject: Re: [AAT] Re: Fresh Water is a Requirement

Hello Falasha.....
>
> Please tell me why the Nile cannot be considered as a
> source of Aquatic Ape?
>
AFAIK, there's no a-priori argument that rules out the
Nile as the location.....there are however some intriguing
issues that such a proposition needs to address.

The Nile, as m3d has cited, goes back to the Messinian
Salinity Crisis between 5 and 6 Mya when the Nile Canyon
reached a depth of at least a mile. This time period is one
(indeed it was the first) of the genetic arguments for the
timing of the H/P divergence.

If you are going to place the 'aquatic phase' at this time,
then the environmental/ecological considerations that
you've outlined in previous posts would most definitely
not apply during and for some considerable time after
the MSC.

Between 3 and 5 Mya there is genetic evidence for two
viral infections (see Yohn et al. and Todaro) that infected
all African primates.....modern H.ss does not have the
'markers' for these infections - and any proposition that
would place our ancestors in Africa during that time
must then explain this avoidance of the infections.

The fact that the only other modern primates who lack
these markers are known to have been absent from
Africa between 3 and 5 Mya, strongly suggests that
our ancestors were also absent from Africa then and
this should be the null-hypothesis.

Between 2 and 3 Mya is an extremely interesting period.
Assuming the 5-6 Mya date for the H/P divergence, this
2-3 Mya period throws up some important genetic
evidence that needs to be explained by a 'Nile hypothesis".
The reduction of the jaw in the context of an enlarging
brain and the loss of Neu5Gc with its connections to
malarial (P.reichenowi) immunity and hair loss would
both need to be incorporated into your hypothesis if
you envisage this 2-3 Mya period for a Nile aquatic
phase.

The modern Nile environment and its suitability is only
a starting point for your theorizing.....can you identify a
time when the conditions at the Nile became conducive?
Then you'll need to find and examine the other evidence
that exists from that time on and show that it corroborates
your idea.

Rob.

----- Original Message -----
From: Falasha Leott
To: AAT@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, October 24, 2009 6:14 AM
Subject: Re: [AAT] Re: Fresh Water is a Requirement

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113387960

This link contains a map of homind and homo discoveries. Please tell me why
the Nile cannot be considered as a source of Aquatic Ape?

________________________________
From: Falasha Leott <falashaleott@...>
To: AAT@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, October 23, 2009 10:15:34 AM
Subject: Re: [AAT] Re: Fresh Water is a Requirement


Please explain why the Nile cannot be a cannot be a candidate?

____________ _________ _________ __
From: m3dodds <dons3148@yahoo. co.uk>
To: AAT@yahoogroups. com
Sent: Fri, October 23, 2009 5:11:09 AM
Subject: [AAT] Re: Fresh Water is a Requirement



--- In AAT@yahoogroups. com, Falasha Leott <falashaleott@ ...> wrote:
>
> The Nile is a freshwater river that flows into the sea except that the
> delta was a Reed Sea. Why can' t this river be considered? Why does every
> single place on earth have to be investigated except this one? It makes no
> sense to me. Geography, Etymology, Anthropology, Ancient history, etc.
> etc. says this is the place where man began. Why not at least give it a
> look see?
>

Falasha,

Perhaps because there have been several incarnations
of the Nile river, one of which dried up for several
hundred thousand years.

"The Nile system is traced back in time to the evaporation
of the Mediterranean Sea. From this time on, five main
episodes in the evolution of the Nile have been deduced.
These are, from oldest to youngest: Eonile, Paleonile, and
three Pleistocene Niles: Protonile, Prenile, and Neonile.
The deposits of the Neonile are indistinguishable from
those of the present river."
[quote - Nile river homepage]

http://www.utdallas.edu/geosciences/remsens/Nile/

---m3d