Las miradas más frescas del Festival

El Festival Internacional de Música y Danza de Granada, que este año alcanza su 59 edición, salió hace siete años de su fortaleza, de su habitual sede, la Alhambra, para esparcir su oferta cultural por las calles de la ciudad y la provincia. Esa ‘democratización’ del arte se llama Fex y ayer arrancó su andadura con una magnífica exposición de fotografía en la sala Zaida de la Fundación Caja Rural.

La muestra reúne unas 50 imágenes captadas por 13 alumnos del Taller de Fotografía de los cursos Manuel de Falla -que se celebran en el seno del Festival- durante los espectáculos del Fex 2009.

Los espacios abiertos, los rostros de los espectadores y las colas de gente son motivos recurrentes en las instantáneas, entre las que destacan algunas como la firmada por Andrea Rodríguez Pérez. La alumna sorprende con el resultado de su aprendizaje: una instantánea curiosa por su capacidad de hacer vibrar al espectador junto al protagonista de la obra, un entusiasta director de orquesta, vestido con una informal camisa roja, que parece casi estallar de gozo en un ensayo de la Joven Orquesta Sinfónica de Granada, en la Plaza de las Pasiegas.

La autora fue uno de los quince estudiantes y licenciados en Bellas Artes, Escuelas de Artes y Oficios, nacionales e internacionales, así como aficionados y profesionales, que se formó con los profesores Rafael Peralbo Cano, Francisco Fernández Sánchez y Francisco José Sánchez Montalbán, de la Universidad de Granada.

En el Taller de Fotografía de los cursos Manuel de Falla, que ahora alcanzan su 40 edición, se imparten clases teóricas para aprender el arte fotográfico desde la perspectiva de los espectáculos musicales, la interacción con el movimiento escénico, el público y la creatividad de la imagen captada. Pero en mitad de esas premisas teóricas, ayer irrumpieron con fuerza en la sala Zaida instantáneas con un lenguaje propio y reposado, como la firmada por Manuel Torres Cantero, que retrata de una manera sublime al joven violinista Alejandro Bustamante, de espaldas con el arco en la mano.

La exposición se completa con la proyección de un vídeo por el que desfilan múltiples imágenes ilustradoras de las más de 70 actividades que conformaron la programación del Fex en 2009.

Invitado, Pablo Juliá
Este año, las aportaciones teóricas se llevarán a cabo por parte del profesorado responsable del taller, pero además se contará con la participación de Pablo Juliá, director del Centro Andaluz de la Fotografía, como ponente invitado.

Las clases se complementarán, una vez más, con las prácticas directas en los variados espectáculos donde cada participante realizará un reportaje con su visión personal de estos eventos que se prolongan del 23 de junio al 14 de julio, fechas del Fex. En ellas, será difícil encontrar sillas vacías en los patios de butacas de los distintos montajes. Aún así, siempre habrá alguna avezada mirada, como la de Alba Sarompas Rodrigo, una alumna que captó de una manera poética cómo las sombras se proyectaban en los asientos aún sin ocupar en la actuación de Depedro. Sólo una de las estéticas y relajantes propuestas que ofrecen ella y el resto de autores: Paula Banqueri, Bárbara Botello, Cristina Capilla, Susana Delgado, Marta García, Cristina López, Carmen Luengo, Rocío Montes, Francisco Muñoz y Calío Ramos.

A la inauguración de la muestra asistieron el alcalde de Granada, José Torres Hurtado; el delegado de Cultura de la Junta, Pedro Benzal; el concejal de Cultura, Juan García Montero; así como el director del Festival Internacional de Música y Danza, Enrique Gámez, y el presidente de Caja Rural y su Fundación, Antonio León Serrano.

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La delegación granadina de la FABM clausura la temporada

La Delegación de Granada de la Federación Andaluza de Balonmano realizó la clausura de la temporada 2009/2010 en las instalaciones deportivas municipales de Las Gabias. Dentro del programa de actividades se desarrollaron unos partidos de la categoría benjamín, donde se pudieron dar cita los más pequeños junto a sus familiares, disfrutando así de una bonita jornada de convivencia y balonmano.

Acto seguido se disputó, en el Pabellón Municipal de Las Gabias, un partido entre el equipo alevín femenino BM Almuñécar (Tercera de Andalucía) y un combinado de jugadoras alevines de Granada dirigidas por Almudena Aparicio (BM Maracena) y María Victoria Avilés (BM Las Gabias). Al término de dicho encuentro se pudo disfrutar de un partido de exhibición cadete masculino entre el campeón de Andalucía, Escolapios, y una selección granadina dirigida por Óscar Valero (BM Maracena) y Joaquín Díaz (Colegio Mulhacén).

Trofeos y menciones
Una vez terminados los actos deportivos tuvo lugar la entrega de trofeos y menciones. Asistieron Francisco López Ruiz (coordinador de Zonas de Deportes en la Diputación), Juan Antonio Franco (concejal del Ayuntamiento de Las Gabias), Antonio Rosales (presidente de la Federación Andaluza de Balonmano), José Manrique (Delegado Territorial de la FABM en Granada), Jesús Sevilla (directivo de la Delegación Granadina) y Toñi García (presidenta del club BM Las Gabias).

El acto comenzó con la entrega del I Premio Faustino Buendía al mejor árbitro/a novel, el cual fue concedido a María Salomé Pérez y fue entregado por Francisco Buendía, hermano del árbitro fallecido al que se rinde homenaje con este premio.

Después se entregaron las placas de agradecimiento a la Delegación Granadina de Turismo, Comercio y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, a la Diputación de Granada, al Ayuntamiento de Las Gabias, a la Universidad de Granada y al equipo BM Escolapios cadete masculino. A continuación, se entregaron medallas a los equipos granadinos de categoría benjamín y trofeos a los equipos granadinos que quedaron terceros, segundos y primeros clasificados de la categoría Cadeba.

La Delegación Granadina, a través de su presidente José Manrique, felicitó a jugadores, entrenadores y responsables, así como a los acompañantes y familiares que allí se dieron cita, por la temporada en tan agradable jornada de clausura.

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Arranca la ejecución del túnel del Metro en la zona de la Facultad de Ciencias

El Metropolitano de Granada ha iniciado la ejecución de la pantalla de pilotes que delimita la rampa de acceso al túnel que discurrirá entre la Facultad de Ciencias y la Plaza de Albert Einstein. Las actuaciones se están llevando a cabo, por el momento, en la zona comprendida entre el Jardín de Ciencias y el aparcamiento de dicha facultad, donde ya se han ejecutado 131 pilotes de los 600 que habrá en dicho tramo. Esta cifra representa aproximadamente el 21% del total de pilotes de la zona.

Por ahora, los trabajos se están ejecutando sin afectar al tráfico en la Avenida de la Fuentenueva y en la Calle del Doctor Severo Ochoa, aunque sí que ha sido necesario trasladar el acceso a la Facultad de Ciencias a la calle Gonzalo Gallas.

Por otro lado, la instalación en la zona de vallas antirruido están permitiendo que los trabajos se puedan compaginar al máximo con la actividad docente de los diferentes centros de la Universidad de Granada más próximos a la zona de obras.

De manera previa al inicio de los trabajos de ejecución de las pantallas de pilotes, se ha procedido a trasplantar el arbolado que se encontraba a lo largo del trazado del Metro ligero. La mayoría de las especies -incluido un grupo de encinas que se ha tenido que trasplantar- se han reubicado en otras zonas del Campus de Fuentenueva, mientras que el resto se han trasladado al Campus Universitario de Cartuja.

El Metropolitano de Granada es un proyecto que cuenta con un trazado de casi 16 kilómetros de longitud y 26 paradas que discurren por Albolote, Maracena, Granada y Armilla.

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Tras los pasos del FEX

Pocos saben cuántos minutos una mirada ha buscado el encuadre perfecto. Cuál ha sido la luz escogida. Qué parte del cuerpo, cuál del rostro o del vestido ha sido la única importante en ese momento. Es algo que queda sólo en el recuerdo del autor. Al espectador se le desvela la parte más importante. La imagen final.

Trece alumnos muestran ahora todo lo que ellos vieron en el pasado Festival de Extensión, un espacio propicio al movimiento, a la expectación y al escenario. Pueden adivinarse sus preferencias a la hora de enseñar todo sobre su Fotografía, Música, Danza y Ciudad. El taller de Fotografía de los Cursos Manuel de Falla tiene como objetivo aunar esas tres ideas básicas: la fotografía en Granada durante el Festival de Música y Danza, a través del reportaje como medio de captación de imágenes y de visiones de sus participantes.

La Sala Zaida abrió ayer al público una exposición en la que puede volver a revivirse el FEX del año pasado -ahora que comienza éste-. Están todos los espectáculos y todos los protagonistas. Pero, fundamentalmente, las cámaras dirigen su atención a la relación que surge entre todos ellos y la ciudad. Explica el director del taller, Francisco J. Sánchez Montalbán, que se trata de una muestra «completa y representativa» puesto que además de congelar momentos destacados de las actuaciones, conciertos, danzas u obras de teatro, aparecen en su «contexto, en su espacio y con su público».

Unas cincuenta fotografías componen la exposición que podrá verse hasta el 14 de julio con un horario de visita de lunes a sábado de 18:30 a 21:30.

Junto a las instantáneas podrá verse una proyección con algunas de las fotografías que han tenido que quedarse fuera. «No por falta de calidad», como subraya Sánchez Montalbán, sino porque pertenecían a espectáculos ya representados en otras. «Teníamos cientos y nos hemos visto obligados a elegir sólo unas cuantas».

Los participantes han sido Paula Banqueri, Bárbara Botello, Cristina Capilla, Susana Delgado, Marta García, Cristina López, Carmen Luengo, Rocrío Montes, Francisco Muñoz, Calio Ramos, Andrea Rodríguez, Alba Sarompas y Manuel Torres. Todos ellos, gracias a las enseñanzas de los profesores Sánchez Montalbán, Francisco Fernández y Rafael Peralbo, han sabido escoger entre la multitud de posibilidades que les brindaba el FEX.

Todos los años se celebra el curso que lleva a los alumnos a los escenarios del Fex. Organizado por la Universidad de Granada con la colaboración del Festival y Caja Rural, ayer mismo echó a andar el nuevo taller del que se podrán ver las fotos el próximo año. Su director explica que puesto que se cubren todas las actividades es necesario seguir «una especie de estrategia» para dividirnos y repartir esfuerzos. «Lo fotografiamos todo». Quince alumnos comenzaron ayer a repartirse la tarea de seguir cada movimiento del Festival de Extensión.

Sánchez Montalbán reconoce que si bien la mayoría de actuaciones ofrece posibilidades muy interesantes para los fotógrafos, hay lugares más «deseados, llamativos, o incluso fetiches» que los alumnos suelen preferir. Se trata, por ejemplo, de la Plaza de las Pasiegas, donde se unen arquitectura, el fondo de la catedral y el numeroso público que se suele dar cita allí. Ocurre algo parecido con la Chancillería, con sus columnas, o la» luz del atardecer» excepcional de la Huerta de San Vicente.

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When Humans and Neanderthals Split

While DNA evidence suggests humans and Neanderthals mated way back when, the two groups did represent distinct species at the time. The question is: when did they last share a common ancestor?

A new study on dental fossils indicates Neanderthals and our own species, Homo sapiens, shared a common ancestor at least one million years ago, which is more than 500,000 years earlier than previously thought.

A million years is a drop in the evolutionary bucket, however, which perhaps helps to explain why we share so many features and behaviors in common with the red headed, meat loving, music producing Neanderthals.

Aida Gómez Robles, a researcher at the University of Granada, analyzed the teeth of virtually all hominid species that existed over the past 4 million years. Using quantitative methods, she determined that Neanderthal features existed in ancient European populations.

She found that, among the species studied, “none of them has a probability higher than 5% to be the common ancestor of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. Therefore, the common ancestor of this lineage is likely to have not been discovered yet.» Nevertheless, the detected differences allowed her to estimate a date for the Neanderthal/human separation.

She also concludes that it’s possible to correctly determine the species to which an isolated tooth belongs with a success rate ranging from 60% to 80%. Although these values are not very high, they increase as different teeth from the same individual are added. So if several teeth from the same individual are analysed, the probability of correctly identifying the species can reach 100%.
Gómez Robles also used computer simulation to recreate the studied dental features. In future, this technique could be used to recreate other features, giving us a much more accurate view of what common ancestors in the evolutionary tree of humans looked like.

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Separation Between Neanderthal and Homo Sapiens Might Have Occurred 500,000 Years Earlier, DNA from Teeth Suggests

The separation of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred at least one million years ago, more than 500.000 years earlier than previously believed, according to new DNA-based analyses.

A doctoral thesis conducted at the National Center for Research on Human Evolution (Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana), associated with the University of Granada, analyzed the teeth of almost all species of hominids that have existed during the past 4 million years. Quantitative methods were employed, and they managed to identify Neanderthal features in ancient European populations.

The main purpose of this research, whose author is Aida Gómez Robles, was to reconstruct the history of evolution of the human species using the information provided by the teeth, which are the most numerous and best preserved remains of the fossil record. To this purpose, a large sample of dental fossils from different sites in Africa, Asia and Europe was analyzed. The morphological differences of each dental class were assessed and the ability of each tooth to identify the species to which its owner belonged was analyzed.

The researcher concluded that it is possible to correctly determine the species to which an isolated tooth belonged with a success rate ranging from 60% to 80%. Although these values are not very high, they increase as different dental classes from the same individual are added. That means that if several teeth from the same individual are analyzed, the probability of correctly identifying the species can reach 100%.

Aida Gómez Robles explains that, from all the species of hominids currently known, «none of them has a probability higher than 5% to be the common ancestor of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. Therefore, the common ancestor of this lineage is likely to have not been discovered yet.»

Computer Simulation

What is innovative about this study is that computer simulation was employed to observe the effects of environmental changes on morphology of the teeth. Similar studies had been conducted on the evolution and development of different groups of mammals, but never on human evolution.

Additionally, the research conducted at CENIEH and at the University of Granada is pioneering — together with recent studies based on the shape of the skull — in using mathematical methods to make an estimation of the morphology of the teeth of common ancestors in the evolutionary tree of the human species. «However, in this study, only dental morphology was analyzed. The same methodology can be used to rebuild other parts of the skeleton of that species, which would provide other models that would serve as a reference for future comparative studies of new fossil finds.»

To carry out this study, Gómez Robles employed fossils from a number of archaeological-paleontological sites, such as that of the Gran Colina and the Sima de los Huesos, located in Atapuerca range (Burgos, Spain), and the site of Dmanisi in the Republic of Georgia. She also studied different fossil collections by visiting international institutions as the National Museum of Georgia, the Institute of Human Paleontology and the Museum of Mankind in Paris, the European Research Centre Tautavel (France), the Senckenberg Institute Frankfurt, the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing and the Museum of Natural History in New York and Cleveland.

The results of this research were disclosed in two articles published in Journal of Human Evolution (2007 and 2008), and they will also be thoroughly presented within a few months.

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Separation between Neanderthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred 500,000 years earlier

The separation of Neardenthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred at least one million years ago, more than 500.000 years earlier than previously believed after DNA-based analyses. A doctoral thesis conducted at the National Center for Research on Human Evolution (Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana) -associated with the University of Granada-, analysed the teeth of almost all species of hominids that have existed during the past 4 million years. Quantitative methods were employed and they managed to identify Neanderthal features in ancient European populations.

The main purpose of this research -whose author is Aida Gómez Robles – was to reconstruct the history of evolution of Human species using the information provided by the teeth, which are the most numerous and best preserved remains of the fossil record. To this purpose, a large sample of dental fossils from different sites in Africa, Asia and Europe was analysed. The morphological differences of each dental class was assessed and the ability of each tooth to identify the species to which its owner belonged was analysed.

The researcher concluded that it is possible to correctly determine the species to which an isolated tooth belonged with a success rate ranging from 60% to 80%. Although these values are not very high, they increase as different dental classes from the same individual are added. That means that if several teeth from the same individual are analysed, the probability of correctly identifying the species can reach 100%.

Aida Gómez Robles explains that, from all the species of hominids currently known «none of them has a probability higher than 5% to be the common ancestor of Neardenthals and Homo sapiens. Therefore, the common ancestor of this lineage is likely to have not been discovered yet».

Computer Simulation

What is innovative about this study is that computer simulation was employed to observe the effects of environmental changes on morphology of the teeth. Similar studies had been conducted on the evolution and development of different groups of mammals, but never on human evolution.

Additionally, the research conducted at CENIEH and at the University of Granada is pioneer –together with recent studies based on the shape of the skull- in using mathematical methods to make and estimation of the morphology of the teeth of common ancestors in the evolutionary tree of the human species. «However, in this study, only dental morphology was analysed. The same methodology can be used to rebuild other parts of the skeletum of that species, which would provide other models that would serve as a reference for future comparative studies of new fossil finds.»

To carry out this study, Gómez Robles employed fossils from a number of archaeological-paleontological sites, such as that of the Gran Colina and the Sima de los Huesos, located in Atapuerca range (Burgos, Spain), and the site of Dmanisi in the Republic of Georgia. She also studied different fossil collections by visiting international institutions as the National Museum of Georgia, the Institute of Human Paleontology and the Museum of Mankind in Paris, the European Research Centre Tautavel (France), the Senckenberg Institute Frankfurt, the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing and the Museum of Natural History in New York and Cleveland.

Although the results of this research were disclosed in two articles published in one of the most prestigious journals in the field of human evolution, Journal of Human Evolution (2007 and 2008), they will be thoroughly presented within a few months.

ed after DNA-based analyses. A doctoral thesis conducted at the National Center for Research on Human Evolution (Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana) -associated with the University of Granada-, analysed the teeth of almost all species of hominids that have existed during the past 4 million years. Quantitative methods were employed and they managed to identify Neanderthal features in ancient European populations.

The main purpose of this research -whose author is Aida Gómez Robles – was to reconstruct the history of evolution of Human species using the information provided by the teeth, which are the most numerous and best preserved remains of the fossil record. To this purpose, a large sample of dental fossils from different sites in Africa, Asia and Europe was analysed. The morphological differences of each dental class was assessed and the ability of each tooth to identify the species to which its owner belonged was analysed.

The researcher concluded that it is possible to correctly determine the species to which an isolated tooth belonged with a success rate ranging from 60% to 80%. Although these values are not very high, they increase as different dental classes from the same individual are added. That means that if several teeth from the same individual are analysed, the probability of correctly identifying the species can reach 100%.

Aida Gómez Robles explains that, from all the species of hominids currently known «none of them has a probability higher than 5% to be the common ancestor of Neardenthals and Homo sapiens. Therefore, the common ancestor of this lineage is likely to have not been discovered yet».

Computer Simulation

What is innovative about this study is that computer simulation was employed to observe the effects of environmental changes on morphology of the teeth. Similar studies had been conducted on the evolution and development of different groups of mammals, but never on human evolution.

Additionally, the research conducted at CENIEH and at the University of Granada is pioneer –together with recent studies based on the shape of the skull- in using mathematical methods to make and estimation of the morphology of the teeth of common ancestors in the evolutionary tree of the human species. «However, in this study, only dental morphology was analysed. The same methodology can be used to rebuild other parts of the skeletum of that species, which would provide other models that would serve as a reference for future comparative studies of new fossil finds.»

To carry out this study, Gómez Robles employed fossils from a number of archaeological-paleontological sites, such as that of the Gran Colina and the Sima de los Huesos, located in Atapuerca range (Burgos, Spain), and the site of Dmanisi in the Republic of Georgia. She also studied different fossil collections by visiting international institutions as the National Museum of Georgia, the Institute of Human Paleontology and the Museum of Mankind in Paris, the European Research Centre Tautavel (France), the Senckenberg Institute Frankfurt, the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing and the Museum of Natural History in New York and Cleveland.

Although the results of this research were disclosed in two articles published in one of the most prestigious journals in the field of human evolution, Journal of Human Evolution (2007 and 2008), they will be thoroughly presented within a few months.

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Separation between Neanderthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred 500,000 years earlier

The separation of Neardenthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred at least one million years ago, more than 500.000 years earlier than previously believed after DNA-based analyses. A doctoral thesis conducted at the National Center for Research on Human Evolution (Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana) -associated with the University of Granada-, analysed the teeth of almost all species of hominids that have existed during the past 4 million years. Quantitative methods were employed and they managed to identify Neanderthal features in ancient European populations. The main purpose of this research –whose author is Aida Gómez Robles- was to reconstruct the history of evolution of Human species using the information provided by the teeth, which are the most numerous and best preserved remains of the fossil record. To this purpose, a large sample of dental fossils from different sites in Africa, Asia and Europe was analysed. The morphological differences of each dental class was assessed and the ability of each tooth to identify the species to which its owner belonged was analysed.

The researcher concluded that it is possible to correctly determine the species to which an isolated tooth belonged with a success rate ranging from 60% to 80%. Although these values are not very high, they increase as different dental classes from the same individual are added. That means that if several teeth from the same individual are analysed, the probability of correctly identifying the species can reach 100%.

Aida Gómez Robles explains that, from all the species of hominids currently known «none of them has a probability higher than 5% to be the common ancestor of Neardenthals and Homo sapiens. Therefore, the common ancestor of this lineage is likely to have not been discovered yet».

Computer Simulation

What is innovative about this study is that computer simulation was employed to observe the effects of environmental changes on morphology of the teeth. Similar studies had been conducted on the evolution and development of different groups of mammals, but never on human evolution.

Additionally, the research conducted at CENIEH and at the University of Granada is pioneer –together with recent studies based on the shape of the skull- in using mathematical methods to make and estimation of the morphology of the teeth of common ancestors in the evolutionary tree of the human species. «However, in this study, only dental morphology was analysed. The same methodology can be used to rebuild other parts of the skeletum of that species, which would provide other models that would serve as a reference for future comparative studies of new fossil finds.»

To carry out this study, Gómez Robles employed fossils from a number of archaeological-paleontological sites, such as that of the Gran Colina and the Sima de los Huesos, located in Atapuerca range (Burgos, Spain), and the site of Dmanisi in the Republic of Georgia. She also studied different fossil collections by visiting international institutions as the National Museum of Georgia, the Institute of Human Paleontology and the Museum of Mankind in Paris, the European Research Centre Tautavel (France), the Senckenberg Institute Frankfurt, the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing and the Museum of Natural History in New York and Cleveland.

Although the results of this research were disclosed in two articles published in one of the most prestigious journals in the field of human evolution, Journal of Human Evolution (2007 and 2008), they will be thoroughly presented within a few months.

Descargar


The separation between Neardenthal and Homo Sapiens might have occurred 500,000 years earlier than previously believed

Spanish scientists have analysed the teeth of almost all species of hominids that have existed during the past 4 million years. Thus, they achieved to identify Neanderthal features in ancient European populations. Dental fossils suggest that the separation occurred at least a million years ago, while DNA-based analyses suggest that this occurred much later.

The separation of Neardenthal and Homo Sapiens might have occurred at least one million years ago, more than 500.000 years earlier than previously believed after DNA-based analyses. A doctoral thesis conducted at the National Center for Research on Human Evolution (Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana) -associated with the University of Granada-, analysed the teeth of almost all species of hominids that have existed during the past 4 million years. Quantitative methods were employed and they managed to identify Neanderthal features in ancient European populations.

The main purpose of this research –whose author is Aida Gómez Robles- was to reconstruct the history of evolution of Human species using the information provided by the teeth, which are the most numerous and best preserved remains of the fossil record. To this purpose, a large sample of dental fossils from different sites in Africa, Asia and Europe was analysed. The morphological differences of each dental class was assessed and the ability of each tooth to identify the species to which its owner belonged was analysed.

The researcher concluded that it is possible to correctly determine the species to which an isolated tooth belonged with a success rate ranging from 60% to 80%. Although these values are not very high, they increase as different dental classes from the same individual are added. That means that if several teeth from the same individual are analysed, the probability of correctly identifying the species can reach 100%.

Aida Gómez Robles explains that, from all the species of hominids currently known «none of them has a probability higher than 5% to be the common ancestor of Neardenthals and Homo Sapiens. Therefore, the common ancestor of this lineage is likely to have not been discovered yet».

Computer Simulation

What is innovative about this study is that computer simulation was employed to observe the effects of environmental changes on morphology of the teeth. Similar studies had been conducted on the evolution and development of different groups of mammals, but never on human evolution.

Additionally, the research conducted at CENIEH and at the University of Granada is pioneer –together with recent studies based on the shape of the skull- in using mathematical methods to make and estimation of the morphology of the teeth of common ancestors in the evolutionary tree of the human species. «However, in this study, only dental morphology was analysed. The same methodology can be used to rebuild other parts of the skeletum of that species, which would provide other models that would serve as a reference for future comparative studies of new fossil finds.»

To carry out this study, Gómez Robles employed fossils from a number of archaeological-paleontological sites, such as that of the Gran Colina and the Sima de los Huesos, located in Atapuerca range (Burgos, Spain), and the site of Dmanisi in the Republic of Georgia. She also studied different fossil collections by visiting international institutions as the National Museum of Georgia, the Institute of Human Paleontology and the Museum of Mankind in Paris, the European Research Centre Tautavel (France), the Senckenberg Institute Frankfurt, the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing and the Museum of Natural History in New York and Cleveland.

Although the results of this research were disclosed in two articles published in one of the most prestigious journals in the field of human evolution, Journal of Human Evolution (2007 and 2008), they will be thoroughly presented within a few months.

Descargar


Neanderthal and Homo Sapiens Separation Occurred A Million Years Ago Say Spanish Researchers

Spanish scientists have analyzed the teeth of almost all species of hominids that have existed during the past four million years. Thus, they achieved to identify Neanderthal features in ancient European populations. Dental fossils suggest that the separation occurred at least a million years ago, while DNA-based analyses suggest that this occurred much later.
 
The separation of Neardenthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred at least one million years ago, more than 500.000 years earlier than previously believed after DNA-based analyses. A doctoral thesis conducted at the National Center for Research on Human Evolution (Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana) -associated with the University of Granada-, analysed the teeth of almost all species of hominids that have existed during the past 4 million years. Quantitative methods were employed and they managed to identify Neanderthal features in ancient European populations.   German scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig  have said that DNA evidence shows Neanderthal populations interbred with modern humans.
 
The main purpose of this research –whose author is Aida Gomez Robles- was to reconstruct the history of evolution of Human species using the information provided by the teeth, which are the most numerous and best preserved remains of the fossil record. To this purpose, a large sample of dental fossils from different sites in Africa, Asia and Europe was analysed. The morphological differences of each dental class was assessed and the ability of each tooth to identify the species to which its owner belonged was analysed.
 
The researcher concluded that it is possible to correctly determine the species to which an isolated tooth belonged with a success rate ranging from 60% to 80%. Although these values are not very high, they increase as different dental classes from the same individual are added. That means that if several teeth from the same individual are analysed, the probability of correctly identifying the species can reach 100%.
 
Aida Gómez Robles explains that, from all the species of hominids currently known «none of them has a probability higher than 5% to be the common ancestor of Neardenthals and Homo sapiens. Therefore, the common ancestor of this lineage is likely to have not been discovered yet».
 
Computer Simulation
What is innovative about this study is that computer simulation was employed to observe the effects of environmental changes on morphology of the teeth. Similar studies had been conducted on the evolution and development of different groups of mammals, but never on human evolution.
 
Additionally, the research conducted at CENIEH and at the University of Granada is pioneer –together with recent studies based on the shape of the skull- in using mathematical methods to make and estimation of the morphology of the teeth of common ancestors in the evolutionary tree of the human species. «However, in this study, only dental morphology was analysed. The same methodology can be used to rebuild other parts of the skeletum of that species, which would provide other models that would serve as a reference for future comparative studies of new fossil finds.»
 
To carry out this study, Gómez Robles employed fossils from a number of archaeological-paleontological sites, such as that of the Gran Colina and the Sima de los Huesos, located in Atapuerca range (Burgos, Spain), and the site of Dmanisi in the Republic of Georgia. She also studied different fossil collections by visiting international institutions as the National Museum of Georgia, the Institute of Human Paleontology and the Museum of Mankind in Paris, the European Research Centre Tautavel (France), the Senckenberg Institute Frankfurt, the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing and the Museum of Natural History in New York and Cleveland.
 
Although the results of this research were disclosed in two articles published in one of the most prestigious journals in the field of human evolution, Journal of Human Evolution (2007 and 2008), they will be thoroughly presented within a few months.
 
Contacts and sources:
Aida Gomez Robles
University of Granada
Group of Dental Anthropology,  Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (Burgos). Physical Anthopology Laboratory of the University of Granada
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Neanderthal, Homo sapiens split 500,000yrs older than believed

DNA-based analyses has revealed that the separation of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred at least one million years ago-at least 500, 000 years earlier than previously thought.

A doctoral thesis conducted at the National Center for Research on Human Evolution (Centro Nacional de Investigacion sobre la Evolucion Humana) -associated with the University of Granada-, analysed the teeth of almost all species of hominids that have existed during the past 4 million years.

After employing quantitative methods, they managed to identify Neanderthal features in ancient European populations.

The main purpose of this research -whose author is Aida Gomez Robles- was to reconstruct the history of evolution of Human species using the information provided by the teeth, which are the most numerous and best preserved remains of the fossil record.

Thus, they analysed a large sample of dental fossils from different sites in Africa, Asia and Europe.

The morphological differences of each dental class was assessed and the ability of each tooth to identify the species to which its owner belonged was analysed.

The researcher concluded that it is possible to correctly determine the species to which an isolated tooth belonged with a success rate ranging from 60 to 80 percent.

Although these values are not very high, they increase as different dental classes from the same individual are added.

That means that if several teeth from the same individual are analysed, the probability of correctly identifying the species can reach 100 percent.

Aida Gomez Robles explained that, from all the species of hominids currently known “none of them has a probability higher than 5 percent to be the common ancestor of Neardenthals and Homo sapiens. Therefore, the common ancestor of this lineage is likely to have not been discovered yet”.

What is innovative about this study is that computer simulation was employed to observe the effects of environmental changes on morphology of the teeth.

The results of this research were disclosed in two articles published in Journal of Human Evolution.

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Software basado en inteligencia artificial permite automatizar las decisiones

Iactive, empresa surgida de la Universidad de Granada, ha desarrollado un sistema basado en inteligencia artificial que permite generar procesos automáticos para la toma de decisiones ante situaciones complejas, de igual forma que lo haría un experto.

Esta aplicación se basa en concreto en la tecnología «Smart Process Management», un sistema inteligente que aporta respuestas inmediatas a situaciones que requieren una rápida solución a partir del procesamiento de datos, ha informado hoy en un comunicado Andalucía Investiga, de la Consejería de Innovación y Ciencia.

La aplicación, que la empresa ya usa en sectores como la planificación de visitas turísticas, en situaciones de emergencia como la extinción de incendios, la sanidad o la enseñanza a distancia, cuenta con numerosas ventajas, según sus promotores.

En concreto, ofrece soluciones a problemas complejos de forma rápida, ya que, en ocasiones, la cantidad de datos que se manejan en una organización dificultan la toma de decisiones en cortos periodos de tiempo.

Además, el conocimiento que maneja cada profesional puede ser compartido y documentado.

Según Óscar García, director de Innovación de Iactive, en la actualidad se ha superado la etapa en la que los procesos automatizados eran «un ente estático y con un comportamiento predecible».

Ahora se demandan «asistentes que generen procesos adaptados al saber concreto acumulado de los especialistas en cada actividad», según el experto.

La primera aplicación de la herramienta es un sistema inteligente que permite generar de forma automática un plan de tratamiento personalizado para enfermos de cáncer, desarrollada en el marco de un proyecto de excelencia de la categoría motriz que la Consejería de Economía, Innovación y Ciencia ha financiado con 272.000 euros.

La aplicación, aún en fase experimental, permite a los oncólogos introducir en el sistema el objetivo perseguido, es decir, «tratamiento oncológico» y, de acuerdo a la base de conocimiento y proceso de razonamiento interactivo del producto Iactive, genera un proceso o plan que será utilizado por el médico como soporte a la hora de determinar el tratamiento a prescribir al paciente.

Así, el médico establece la situación inicial del paciente donde se describe el estado concreto del mismo a través de su información clínica y el sistema inteligente inicia un proceso de búsqueda para encontrar el tratamiento adecuado.

Esto permite obtener un tratamiento personalizado para el paciente, que será posteriormente monitorizado con el objetivo de garantizar toda su ejecución.

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