“This has got to make you wonder if there has ever been any flow the other way, from other species into ours, and that could throw a whole wrench in all of our understanding of genetic history”

“isn’t that how HIV spread from apes to humans?
anyway – just a thought….if this has human DNA, this might explain why, after 200,000 years, humans have NOT developed an immunity to the disease. On the surface, it seems 200,000 years would be enough time to allow human evolution to fend off this bacteria. but if it contains human DNA, then that probably evolved along with us.”

“There is no Ape DNA in humans”

“This is probably obvious to some, but once human DNA regularly starts passing to bacteria and viruses, get ready. Diseases will start to mutate and and be even harder to fight off. You think these so called “super bugs” are bad. You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

“There’s a potential mechanism here for gene transfer between higher order species, like between mammals. Although it seems unlikely, or at least that it would be rare, but it could be more common than we think!”

As for the Bible, duuuh!! STD’s have been around in humans since before we were human! The bible was written a mere 2 to 3 thousand years ago, it would be strange it if it wasn’t mentioned..

You have to be kidding, right? Have you even read the bible? It chock full of slaughter, murder and killing, much of it as directed by their god. The commandments apply to ‘other people’

Since I will take the bait. The 10 commandments strictly prohibit slaughter, murder, or killing.

@John: It’s likely this has been ongoing long before we even became a species and as such is not a cause for alarm of it’s own.

Science types dont look at the Bible the way they should, they are too busy being dismissive.

You can tell from the ten commandments and other rules in the Bible that STD’s were a pretty big problem in the region at the time. Hence all the “kill the women and men and only keep the virgins to sleep with” and the strict rules against adultery, and circumcision, and all sorts of stuff. Its very clear that some wise person at some point in time had to figure out that the diseases weakening his people were being transferred via sexual activity.

The ten commandments are a classic guide to “how to live as a group so that you can slaughter other groups more effectively.” In short, the Bible itself is proof of natural selection, if anyone cared to stop being so emotional about it and choose to look at it more objectively.

It certainly does make you wonder, and opens the door to all sorts of speculation.

If it’s mentioned in the Bible it has to be imaginary! ;)

anyway – just a thought….if this has human DNA, this might explain why, after 200,000 years, humans have NOT developed an immunity to the disease. On the surface, it seems 200,000 years would be enough time to allow human evolution to fend off this bacteria. but if it contains human DNA, then that probably evolved along with us.

so…any genetics students out there looking for a thesis idea….there you go.

lol