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Oxford University project starts serious hunt


sean6

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Oxford University project starts serious hunt for Yeti using DNA samples from around the world

An Oxford college is to analyse samples of Yeti hair and teeth in one of the most serious attempts yet made to track down the elusive and possibly mythical species.

Wolfson college is asking for samples of hair and teeth of 'cryptids' - unknown animals such as the Yeti - and is to use the latest DNA technology to analyse samples from around the world.

'As part of a larger enquiry into the genetic relationshipbetween our own species Homo sapiens and other hominids, we invite submissionsof organic material from formally undescribed species, or ‘cryptids’, for thepurpose of their species identification by genetic means,' says the college.

http://www.dailymail...ples-world.html

Edited by sean6
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Boy I bet they're going to get tired of analysing raccoon, dog, human, squirrel, bear, etc. hair.

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SPOILER:

At the end of this project all of these believers will become non-believers.

:D

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Naaaaaw, all the believers will come up with a hundred or so reason why nothing came up positive as an unknown.

Never underestimate the ability of a believer to rationalize........

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You know, by this point, we could have genetically engineered a Yeti one faster than find a living one...

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:D

If you've got a yeti scalp in your shed, and you'd like to submit it for verification, you can find out how to do so over on the project's website.

http://www.wired.co....-05/22/yeti-dna

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I'll send in any feces, scat, hair, skin flakes, drool, bones, teeth and even antlers I find....

As long as someone else is paying for it, why not??

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DNA to shed light on yeti claims

A UK-Swiss team will use DNA testing to investigate the origins of remains claimed to be from yeti and bigfoot.

The project will examine hair, bone and other material from a collection amassed by a Swiss biologist - and will invite submissions from elsewhere.

Many cultures relate legends of hairy, humanoid creatures that lurk in the wilds, rarely seen.

But material claimed to be from such creatures have never been subjected to modern scientific techniques.

"It's an area that any serious academic ventures into with a deal of trepidation... It's full of eccentric and downright misleading reports," said Prof Bryan Sykes, from Oxford University.

The researchers will apply a systematic approach and employ the latest advances in genetic testing, aiming to publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

arrow3.gifRead more...

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They're going to have to sift through a lot of poo and have to deal with people faking Bigfoot poo by mixing human and ape poo together. Not to mention mutated opossums, squirrels, rabbits, even coyotes and dogs.

I just hope they assume it's a fake until otherwise checked out. Some scientist aren't always the brightest bulbs on the tree, and most aren't used to being lied to and intentionally deceived.

Just saying.

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I just hope they assume it's a fake until otherwise checked out. Some scientist aren't always the brightest bulbs on the tree, and most aren't used to being lied to and intentionally deceived.

Just saying.

The basis of scientific principle is that something is unproven until sufficient evidence is available to form a conclusion. Thus it would be just as poor science to assume it is fake as to assume it is genuine. In fact the default position of good science is "we don't know".

A lot of people like to comment on how scientists aren't bright whilst at the same time demonstrating a fundamental lack of understanding of how science actually works.

Just saying.

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The basis of scientific principle is that something is unproven until sufficient evidence is available to form a conclusion. Thus it would be just as poor science to assume it is fake as to assume it is genuine. In fact the default position of good science is "we don't know".

A lot of people like to comment on how scientists aren't bright whilst at the same time demonstrating a fundamental lack of understanding of how science actually works.

Just saying.

Boom.

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Others are highly sceptical of such tales, and consider the subject unworthy of serious scientific investigation.

Asked about the project's chances of success, Prof Sykes said: "The answer is, of course, I don't know," adding, "it's unlikely, but on the other hand if we don't examine it we won't know."

Source

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"They're going to have to sift through a lot of poo and have to deal with people faking Bigfoot poo by mixing human and ape poo together."

Seriously? Where exactly does one find ape poo?

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"They're going to have to sift through a lot of poo and have to deal with people faking Bigfoot poo by mixing human and ape poo together."

Seriously? Where exactly does one find ape poo?

Try a zoo. p*** off a chimp in its cage, and he will sent it to you by 'airmail'.

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I thought the entire article was just a bit biased concerning the examination of "evidence" and the advanced technology used. It seemed to say that only this particular group is current on DNA extraction and study, when in fact there have been several DNA studies in recent years, all using state of the art techniques. So far they have found nothing. Perhaps they were only referring to the samples that the one BF hunter was submitting, but that is not what I took away from the article.

I was also confused regarding the comment that DNA could be extracted from a fragment of hair. As I understand the process DNA would only be available if that "fragment" contained the hair root as DNA is not present in the shaft of the hair itself. Of course, I am not a biologist so I could be wrong.

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all the past evidence have already been found as false...perhaps this time it would be real? would be cool to find some unknown ape or an previously thought to be extinct type of ape

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Not all submitted evidence was proven false, as a matter of fact, many published test results of hair samples have come back as either inconclusive or primate hair, which is pretty amazing for hair samplers found in the American north west.

Edited by Lava_Lady
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They're going to have to sift through a lot of poo and have to deal with people faking Bigfoot poo by mixing human and ape poo together. Not to mention mutated opossums, squirrels, rabbits, even coyotes and dogs.

I just hope they assume it's a fake until otherwise checked out. Some scientist aren't always the brightest bulbs on the tree, and most aren't used to being lied to and intentionally deceived.

Just saying.

what a load of poo, there are so many things wrong with this post, who are all these people that are going to be mixing ape and human crap to fool the scientists? mutated opossums? where the hell did that come from

and the statement that scientists aren't used to being intentionally deceived, c'mon the very fact they are scientists means they are reasonably intelligent, are you really suggesting that some knobhead mixing 5hit is going to fool the scientific community?

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They are mainly interested in hair samples, and no doubt those with the folicles still attached.

Does anyone know if the Ketchum Report was ever allowed to be published.

This was the last large DNA study which the results should have been released earlier this year.

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Another article on this topic:

Scientists start DNA hunt for Bigfoot, Yeti and cryptid species:

By JohnThomas Didymus May 23, 2012

Scientists say they are looking for genetic evidence of the existence of widely reported humanoids known in various parts of the world as Bigfoot, Yeti or Sasquatch, and other cryptozoological beings that have been claimed across the world.

National Post reports that a joint project between Oxford University and Switzerland's Lausanne Museum of Zoology will examine organic remains claimed to belong to alleged cryptid creatures. The Daily Mail reports Wolfson College, Oxford is asking for "samples of hair and teeth of cryptids," as part of a larger inquiry into the genetic relationship between "our own species Homo sapiens and other hominids."

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/325365

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They are mainly interested in hair samples, and no doubt those with the folicles still attached.

Does anyone know if the Ketchum Report was ever allowed to be published.

This was the last large DNA study which the results should have been released earlier this year.

Dude I check on that damn report just about daily, still hasn't been released.

I for one am extremely excited about this. Theoretically this could bring a level of credibility to the whole field. It will be interesting to see how the Ketchum report (assuming its real) and this study end up verifying or disputing each other through the evidence.

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ketchumreject2.jpg
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