ΔF508 is a Yamnaya mutation

Probably.  Look at the distribution – it’s in India & Pakistan, too.

 

While 35delG  deafness is probably an EEF thing.

 

 

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GWAS for horsies

If we do the proper genetic studies on horses, lots of them ( > 10^6) we will eventually be able to find variants that predict how large or how fast individual horses are, and ( dare I say it) we will eventually be able to tell if certain breeds of horses are genetically big or small, fast or slow. People have always wondered if Percherons are really larger than Shetland ponies – or if that’s just a stereotype.  Some say that Thoroughbreds are faster than Clydesdales – wouldn’t it  be nice to actually know for sure?  Of course there are deep philosophical questions about what ‘ genetically different ‘ really means – and we wouldn’t really know that two breeds were different unless we also understood the mechanism of each and every common variant that boosted or reduced size or speed. Since quantitative selection boosts any variant that favors the trait under selection,  and those variants work through many different biological pathways, we have some work  to do. But we still won’t really know that my Prince (a Shetland) was inherently*  slower than Secretariat unless we understand every one of those mechanisms.  And their interactions.  And their little dog, too! We also need to understand the historical reasons for any differences – what selective pressures drove those differences, how those pressures varied over  space and time – or we don’t really know anything.

Admixture studies might be useful, but they’re icky.

 

And we need to motorize those fences at Wrigley Field.

 

* Maybe Prince was deprived due to my cousins shooting him with their BB guns. He caught one of them later, kneeled on her, and broke her collarbone.  Depraved on account of being deprived?

 

19th Century History

Someone should develop a course based entirely on the Flashman novels.

Brooklyn Project

In your opinion, what technical efforts A. would have world-shaking consequences and B. are clearly feasible?

New Soviet Man vs Trigglypuff

From time to time I have marveled at how the Left has changed over the years – basically, from steel-driving commies to gender-bender commies.  Which leads me to wonder what  would happen if, via some mechanism built of ivory and twisted crystal rods, they were ever to meet.

The imagination reels.

The other side of the hill

I just saw someone suggest that one needs to make a serious effort to understand the best arguments of people you disagree with – that you should, for example, [  spend 30 minutes or so a day reading the “other side.”]

I could imagine reasons for this: tactical reasons, for example. Trying to understand what the opposition may do next.   Or, in another different, world, you might actually face an opposition that had logically valid things to say on some issues, even many issues.

But in many situations, today’s for example, your opponents may just be loons. Do you really think that my life would have been improved in any way  if I’d spent half an hour a day reading Freud?  Or Judith Butler? I don’t think so.

Shortcut:  if they make predictions, none of which ever come true,  forget about them. Saves valuable time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMPY

Considering the numbers, their sample should be about half Ashkenazi Jewish.