NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Mungo Man

The Mungo Man (also known as Lake Mungo 3) was an early human inhabitant of the continent of Australia, who is believed to have lived about 40,000 years ago, during the Pleistocene epoch. His remains were discovered at Lake Mungo, New South Wales in 1974. The remains are the oldest anatomically modern human remains found in Australia to date, although his exact age is a matter of ongoing dispute. Recent controversial analysis of Mungo Man's mitochondrial DNA has also led some researchers to challenge the single-origin hypothesis of human evolution. This article is about modern humans. ... The Pleistocene epoch (IPA: ) on the geologic timescale is the period from 1,808,000 to 11,550 years BP. The Pleistocene epoch had been intended to cover the worlds recent period of repeated glaciations. ... A division of geologic time less than a period and greater than an age. ... The shore of Lake Mungo. ... Slogan or Nickname: First State, Premier State Motto(s): Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Professor Marie Bashir Premier Morris Iemma (ALP) Federal representation - House seats 50 - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Mitochondrial DNA (some captions in German) Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria. ... In paleoanthropology, the single-origin hypothesis (or Out-of-Africa model) is one of two accounts of the origin of anatomically modern humans, Homo sapiens. ... // For the history of humans on Earth, see History of the world. ...

Discovery

The Mungo Man was discovered on February 26, 1974 when shifting sand dunes exposed his remains. He was found near Lake Mungo, one of several dry lakes in the World Heritage listed Willandra Lakes Region. The body was sprinkled with red ochre, in what is the earliest incidence of such a sophisticated and artistic burial practice. This aspect of the discovery has been particularly significant to Indigenous Australians, since it indicates that certain cultural traditions have existed on the Australian continent for much longer than previously thought. is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... The Willandra Lakes Region is a World Heritage Site that covers 2,400 square kilometres in south-western New South Wales. ... This article is about the color. ... Languages Several hundred indigenous Australian languages (many extinct or nearly so), Australian English, Australian Aboriginal English, Torres Strait Creole, Kriol Religions Primarily Christian, with minorities of other religions including various forms of Traditional belief systems based around the Dreamtime Related ethnic groups see List of Indigenous Australian group names Indigenous...

The skeleton had been somewhat poorly preserved, with substantial portions of the skull missing, and most of the bones in the limbs suffering surface damage. Some anthropologists have noted that it may not be possible to conclusively determine the gender of the remains, although they are most commonly referred to as being male. Mungo Man was buried lying on his back, with his hands interlocked over his groin. Based on evidence of osteoarthritis in the lumbar vertebrae, and severe wear on the teeth, it seems likely that Mungo Man was quite old when he died. Using the length of his limb bones, it is possible to estimate Mungo Man's height at about 170 centimetres (66.9 inches or 5 ft 7 in). It has been suggested that temporal fenestra be merged into this article or section. ... Osteoarthritis / Osteoarthrosis (OA, also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, arthrosis or in more colloquial terms wear and tear), is a condition in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints, caused by wearing of the cartilage that covers and acts as a cushion inside joints. ... The lumbar vertebrae are the largest segments of the movable part of the vertebral column, and can be distinguished by the absence of a foramen (hole) in the transverse process, and by the absence of facets on the sides of the body. ... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ...

Age

The first estimate of Mungo Man's age was made in 1976, when the team of paleoanthropologists from the Australian National University (ANU) who excavated Mungo Man published their findings. They estimated that Mungo Man was between 28,000 and 32,000 years old. They did not test Mungo Man's remains directly, but rather established an estimate by stratigraphic comparison with Mungo Lady, an earlier set of partially cremated remains also found at Lake Mungo. Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Australian National University, or ANU, is a public university located in Canberra, Australia. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Mungo Lady (also known as Mungo I) is one of the worlds oldest cremations discovered at Lake Mungo, New South Wales, Australia in 1969. ... The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England. ...

In 1987, an electron spin resonance test was conducted on bone fragments from Mungo Man's skeleton, which established an estimate of his age at 31,000 years, plus or minus 7,000 years. An age of about 40,000 years came to be widely accepted as accurate. Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) or Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) is a spectroscopic technique which detects species that have unpaired electrons, generally meaning that the molecule in question is a free radical if it is an organic molecule, or that it has transition metal ions if it is an inorganic complex. ...

In 1999, another team from ANU arrived at a new estimate of 62,000 years, plus or minus 6,000 years. This estimate was determined by combining data from uranium-thorium dating, electron spin resonance dating and optically stimulated luminescence dating of the remains and the immediately surrounding soil. However, this estimate was very controversial. Some scientists pointed to evidence of the age of strata at the lowest level of the Lake Mungo archaeological site, which are as old as 43,000 years, to show that Mungo Man could not be older than this. However, the ANU team had dated the strata itself to be between 59,000 and 63,000 years old. Others criticised the problems with using uranium-thorium dating on tooth enamel. This article is about the year. ... Uranium-thorium dating, also often referred to as thorium-230 dating, uranium-series disequilibrium dating or uranium-series dating, is a radiometric dating technique commonly used to determine the age of carbonate materials such as speleothem or coral. ... Optically Stimulated Luminescence or OSL Dating is a method of establishing the age of soil sediments. ... For other uses, see strata (novel) and strata title. ... Tooth enamel is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance of the body , and with dentin, cementum, and dental pulp is one of the four major parts of the tooth. ...

In 2003, a group of scientists from several Australian universities, led by the University of Melbourne, reached a new consensus that Mungo Man is about 40,000 years old. This age largely corresponds with stratigraphic evidence, and used four different dating methods, and brought together scientists from several different universities. The age of 40,000 years is currently the most widely accepted age for the Mungo Man. The study also found that Mungo Lady was a similar age to Mungo Man, and not 30,000 years old, as previously thought. This made Mungo Lady the oldest cremated human remains yet discovered. Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The University of Melbourne, is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. ...

Mitochondrial DNA study

In a study conducted by an Australian National University graduate student, beginning in 1995, mitochondrial DNA was collected from bone fragments from Mungo Man's skeleton, and analysed. The DNA was compared with samples taken from several other Australian human skeletons, between eight and fifteen thousand years old, and samples from modern day living people. The Australian National University, or ANU, is a public university located in Canberra, Australia. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Mitochondrial DNA (some captions in German) Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria. ...

The study determined that the Mungo Man was genetically different from modern humans, and that his mitochondrial line is now extinct. The study has been controversial because it can be interpreted to challenge the single-origin hypothesis of human evolution (the so-called "Out of Africa" theory) which posits that all humans are descended from a common ancestor who originated in Africa. Mungo Man, although being essentially anatomically identical to modern Homo sapiens, was not descended from Mitochondrial Eve, the most recent common ancestor of all humans on the matrilineal line, who lived in Africa approximately 150,000 years ago. In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of species. ... In paleoanthropology, the single-origin hypothesis (or Out-of-Africa model) is one of two accounts of the origin of anatomically modern humans, Homo sapiens. ... // For the history of humans on Earth, see History of the world. ... Missing link is a term for a transitional form from the fossil record that connects an earlier species to a later one, or which connects two different species to an earlier ancestor. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... This article is about modern humans. ... Mitochondrial Eve (mt-mrca) is the name given by researchers to the woman who is the matrilineal most recent common ancestor (MRCA) for all living humans. ... The most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of any set of organisms is the most recent individual from which all organisms in the group are directly descended. ...

Some have argued that the study supports the multiregional hypothesis, which suggests that traits of modern humans evolved in several places around the world, and that gene flow created the genetic uniformity seen today, not the migration of a single population from Africa. Another possibility is that the mtDNA lineage of the Mungo Man became extinct at some time between 40,000 years BP and today. (A common misinterpretation of the Mitochondrial Eve hypothesis is that she was the only human female at her time; rather, she is the most recent common matrilineal ancestor). Still another is that the emigration of early humans from Africa took place somewhat earlier than it is generally assumed. However, the results of the study remain controversial. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In population genetics, gene flow (also known as gene migration) is the transfer of alleles of genes from one population to another. ... Mitochondrial Eve (mt-mrca) is the name given by researchers to the woman who is the matrilineal most recent common ancestor (MRCA) for all living humans. ...

Contents

Discovery

Age

Mitochondrial DNA study

See Also

References

Contents

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Age

Mitochondrial DNA study

See Also

References

Discovery