LTC8K6
Penultimate Amazing
We have been able to use hair itself for DNA testing for a while now. No root needed. The first mitochondrial DNA testing of hair in a criminal trial was way back in 1996.
DNA analysis can be done on hair, if the hair has the root nuclear DNA analysis is the most accurate (i.e. can identify an individual), if the root is absent, mitochondrial DNA analysis is used. mtDNA is capable of narrowing down a list of suspects - certainly sufficient to identify a species. Also, mtDNA is very resistant to degradation, so identifying a mammoth from it's hair is not that unbelievable. Astonishing, yes, but not beyond the realms of the method.That is what gets me. Isnt the root of hair the main source for DNA extraction? Without the follicle, I am pretty sure there is no source to extract the DNA.
I am not so sure about Meldrum. Henner Fahrenbach, who has worked with Meldrum concerning hair, has stated that Meldrum has said to have come across unknown hair samples.
If you would like to reach Fahrenbach, you can either IM him on Hennerf or contact him at HennerF@aol.com
Even more astonishing is that recently portiions of DNA have been extracted from dino bones it is, under the right conditions, quite resistant to decay.Also, mtDNA is very resistant to degradation, so identifying a mammoth from it's hair is not that unbelievable. Astonishing, yes, but not beyond the realms of the method.
Even more astonishing is that recently portiions of DNA have been extracted from dino bones it is, under the right conditions, quite resistant to decay.
I don't think so. You may be misremembering the recent discovery of preserved Dinosaur protein?
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/05/090501-oldest-dinosaur-proteins.html
The research was led by the team behind the controversial 2007 discovery of protein from similar soft tissues in 68-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex bones.
Our next guest is going to be Michael McLeod, author of the new book "Anatomy of a Beast". It tells the story of Ivan Sanderson, Patterson, and the birth of the Bigfoot Legend. (Although I'm sure MANY of the readers of the JREF forums will know most of these details, and perhaps dispute them.) Still, ya might enjoy the show. We certainly got a lot of interesting info out of Dr. Disotell.
Hope y'all like it - you're the target audience.
DocAt, here are some links to our previous discuussions regarding Joshua Blu Buhs' Big Foot: The Life and Times of a Legend and Michael McLeod's Anatomy of a Beast: Obsession and Myth on the Trail of Bigfoot. William Parcher's first post then my first response (to skip a lot of unrelated stuff in between):
http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=4785560#post4785560
http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=4801396#post4801396
Here is a University of California Press podcast interview with Michael McLeod which is very good...
http://www.ucpress.edu/podcast/?file=11135
Thanks! I'd already heard the podcast, but the threads were interesting. I know McLeod's going to spin some folks up - but he seems like a nice guy who has put a lot of work in on this project. The book is very good - and not super long. I knocked it out over about 3 nights of reading.
I'm listening to the show again thinking of some good questions for him. What were some of the questions you, Ben, and Karen were thinking to ask him?
Doc,
Please let me know if you'd like me to repost my notes on Paul Freeman. Alternately, feel free to do a search for all posts by me that contain the word "Freeman."

Haven't checked w/ Ben or Karen - but my questions are about Wallace's techniques, the dualism of Roger Patterson, and to touch on Bob H. and the suit - although eventually we'll want to get on Greg Long and discuss that directly. Or maybe - if Bob's up to it - eventually a direct chat with him. I don't know...
Anyway, McLeod talks about Wallace's hoaxing in detail I hadn't heard before and I'm anxious to hear more about it.
And we'll also talk about the various time-lines of P&G's return to town.
And I want to ask him about Ivan Sanderson's experience with hoaxes.
What Ben & Karen will ask - I don't know.
How the hell is one to keep up with the good cryptid threads on this forum?
Don't you people sleep and have jobs?!?
Check right there under my handle.
doctoratlantis said:We're switching to Sea Monsters and Dinosaurs for episode #3. Don't want to get over-Squatched!
Anyway, McLeod talks about Wallace's hoaxing in detail I hadn't heard before and I'm anxious to hear more about it.
And we'll also talk about the various time-lines of P&G's return to town.
And I want to ask him about Ivan Sanderson's experience with hoaxes.
kitakaze said:I am now trying to arrange a trip to Yakima to meet and interview Bob Heironimus. I plan to record the interview(s) as well as take various measurements such as head, height, arm and leg lengths and see if I can get images of him from the period of his participation with Roger's film.
That has been resolved and it really comes down to just getting the time to set things in motion. I plan to put everything recorded on youtube as a series of videos. I'm shooting for before the end of August. I have no reason to think that Heironimus wouldn't be quite willing to participate.
If you ever get the chance, you should try contacting Dr. Roy P. Mackal. Story goes that he confronted Sanderson about an error in one of his alleged sightings and got him to confess that he made up all of personal cryptid encounters in his books. Sanderson allegedly said something to the effect of that he "loved to eat lobster" and included such hoaxes in his books to boost sales enough to let him eat more of it. I would love to know whether or not this is true.
Make sure you have an hour. He doesn't shut up. Of course, he may not have answered your question after he's done.