| Good morning! And welcome to the Daily Briefing for the weekend of May 8. To stay on top of Earth-friendly news all day, visit us at Mother Nature Network.
 HUMAN HYBRIDS: Neanderthals are still alive, surviving inside the human genome tens of thousands of years after their species went extinct, according to a study published Friday in the journal Science. Scientists have long speculated whether early humans interbred with Neanderthals, since the two hominid species co-existed for millennia in Europe and the Middle East before humans helped wipe out our big-browed cousins some 30,000 years ago. And now, based on a new fossil analysis by researchers in Germany, there's evidence that people of European and Asian descent inherited about 1 to 4 percent of their genes from Neanderthals. The study used samples from three Neanderthal bones that were 38,000 to 45,000 years old, comparing them to the genomes of five modern humans from different parts of the world (a neanderthal skeleton is pictured above, with a modern human skeleton behind it). They found Neanderthal genes scattered randomly among non-Africans - not enough to account for any racial differences in modern humans - and found no sign of human genes in Neanderthal tissues. The findings are mainly a window into a world where multiple humanlike species mingled together, the researchers say, shedding light on the social culture of our prehistoric predecessors. "It certainly is an indication of what went on socially when Neanderthals and modern humans met," says the study's lead author, adding that it also highlights how scant the genetic differences were between humans and Neanderthals. "There was interbreeding at some little level. I would prefer to leave it to others who want to quarrel over whether to call us separate species or not. They were not genetically very distinct from us." (Sources: Reuters, USA Today, e! Science News)  SUPER SAVER: The U.S. House of Representatives has approved an energy-efficiency bill popularly known as " cash for caulkers," which would offer homeowners cash rebates up to $8,000 for making energy-saving home renovations. Officially called the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, the bill passed the House by a vote of 246 to 161, reflecting its widespread support among both environmentalists and business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Home Builders. The Senate has yet to vote on the $5.7 billion, two-year program, but President Obama praised the House Thursday for its approval, saying the bill "will help jump-start job growth and demand for new products created right here in America." The bill is widely seen as a potential boon for both U.S. energy efficiency and job growth, since it's designed to encourage energy-saving upgrades that would also create jobs in the recession-ravaged construction industry. "Home Star is that solid investment that's going to achieve that hat trick of energy savings for the homeowner, of moving toward a cleaner environment and of creating jobs here at home," says the bill's sponsor, Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. (pictured, right, alongside Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich.). Most House Republicans opposed the bill, and managed to attach an addendum that would kill "cash for caulkers" if Democrats don't find a satisfactory way to pay for it up front. Supporters argue the bill would pay for itself in the long run, however, since estimates project it would save U.S. consumers $9.2 billion over 10 years and create 168,000 new jobs. About 3 million households are expected to participate in the program if it's signed into law. (Sources: AP, USA Today, House Committee on Energy and Commerce)  LUCKY STARS: If you want to give your mom the moon and stars for Mother's Day, but you spaced out that it's this Sunday, you may still have a chance. The cosmos is aligning in favor of anyone looking for a cheap, last-minute Mother's Day gift, Space.com reports, as the planet Jupiter will join Earth's crescent moon in the early-morning sky for a celestial show-stopper. As long as weather cooperates, the gas giant and rocky satellite will take to the skies before sunrise Sunday, with the best time for viewing coming around 5:30 a.m (and for mothers who'd rather sleep in, an encore performance is also expected around sunset). The moon and Jupiter will also be accompanied by Venus and the bright star Sirius, which will be slightly farther apart, rising about halfway up in the western sky. And mothers living at high latitudes may also get an early gift from the heavens on Saturday, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a 20 percent chance that a geomagnetic storm will stir up dazzling aurora borealis displays, aka the Northern Lights. The universe seems to have you covered this Mother's Day with a weekend full of free, eco-friendly gifts, but if you'd still rather give something more down-to-Earth, check out MNN's list of 11 green Mother's Day gift ideas. (Source: Space.com) |
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