Adaptation and the genetics of social behaviour

This article doesn't directly relate to primates. Rather, Keller reviews some recent research on the genetic basis of social behavior in ants. It's an interesting read (ants are cool little buggers) and he argues in the conclusion that we need to try to bridge the gap between invertebrate and vertebrate studies in the genetic basis of social behavior.

Human and Non-Human Primate Genomes Share Hotspots of Positive Selection

Using whole-genome shotgun sequences to detect selective sweeps, Enard et al. found that many genes showing positive selection in humans are mirrored in the genomes of other primates. This shows independent positive selection at the same genes in multiple primate species.

Bonobo Cannibalism

An interesting though inconclusive article on findings of Bonobo cannibalism...

Sequencing the oldest modern human

Using a tuft of hair found in Greenland's permafrost, scientists have been able to sequence the entire genome and deduce some characteristics about the oldest modern man. A newspaper summary of the article can be found on the BBC website.

Founding Haplotypes

Analysis of mitochondial DNA in 30 Shuswap speaking Native Americans shows that a few had haplogroups rarely found in the Americas, as well as one (C4c) beleived to be a founding haplotype.

A quick look at why DNA analysis is essential to all hypotheses about the founding and peopling the New World.

you may be older than you think

you may be functionally older because of alleles that shorten your telomere length