scholarly journals What Do Palaeo-Anthropologists Believe About the Disappearance of Neanderthals?

Author(s):  
Krist Vaesen ◽  
Gerrit Dusseldorp ◽  
Mark Brandt

Abstract The causes of Neanderthal disappearance about 40,000 years ago remain highly contested. Over a dozen serious hypotheses are currently endorsed to explain this enigmatic event. Given the relatively large number of contending explanations and the relatively large number of participants in the debate, it is unclear how strongly each contender is supported by the research community. What does the community actually believe about the demise of Neanderthals? To address this question, we conducted a survey among practicing palaeo-anthropologists (total number of respondents = 216). It appears that received wisdom is that demography was the principal cause of the demise of Neanderthals. In contrast, there is no received wisdom about the role that environmental factors and competition with modern humans played in the extinction process; the research community is deeply divided about these issues. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that palaeo-anthropologists’ stand in the debate co-varies with their socio-political views and attitudes. We found no evidence for such a correlation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krist Vaesen ◽  
Gerrit L. Dusseldorp ◽  
Mark J. Brandt

AbstractThe causes of Neanderthal disappearance about 40,000 years ago remain highly contested. Over a dozen serious hypotheses are currently endorsed to explain this enigmatic event. Given the relatively large number of contending explanations and the relatively large number of participants in the debate, it is unclear how strongly each contender is supported by the research community. What does the community actually believe about the demise of Neanderthals? To address this question, we conducted a survey among practicing palaeo-anthropologists (total number of respondents = 216). It appears that received wisdom is that demography was the principal cause of the demise of Neanderthals. In contrast, there is no received wisdom about the role that environmental factors and competition with modern humans played in the extinction process; the research community is deeply divided about these issues. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that palaeo-anthropologists’ stand in the debate co-varies with their socio-political views and attitudes. We found no evidence for such a correlation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Edelson

This article provides an overview and discussion on many of the major topics currently discussed in the autism research community. These topics include: prevalence, male-to-female ratio, diagnosis, genetics, environmental factors, neurology, medical comorbidities, sensory processing, and behavior. The article concludes with a discussion of future research in the field of autism.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Deegan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the propensity of some researchers within the accounting research community (and elsewhere) to ignore potentially rich insights available from other paradigms, and the implications this has for the advancement of knowledge both from an educational and a social perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is based on a review of a paper published in the Australian Journal of Management by Benson et al. (2015) together with a synthesis of other work which cautions against dismissing conflicting “world views”. Findings – The analysis suggests that the propensity of some accounting researchers to dismiss, or ignore, research undertaken by researchers outside of their paradigm is still apparently “alive and well” within today’s accounting research community. The implications associated with ignoring or dismissing rich interdisciplinary insights are highlighted. Research limitations/implications – The implications of the research are that many rich insights are apparently being ignored by a segment of the accounting research community and this has implications for the advancement of knowledge, education and society. The limitations of this commentary are that the views are based on personal opinion which by its very nature is biased and based on the political views of the author. Practical implications – The practical implications are that in highlighting a propensity to ignore potentially valuable research from alternative paradigms the commentary encourages researchers to consider other world views, as well as the political foundations inherent in their own work. This can have positive implications for the advancement of knowledge, and of society. Social implications – By highlighting the propensity of some researchers to potentially dismiss entire areas of research as not being “notable” it is hoped that there will be a revision of this tendency and this will have possible implications for the advancement of knowledge. Originality/value – The commentary highlights how certain elements of the accounting research community continue to appear to have a propensity to forget/ignore that potentially useful insights are available from people who undertake research beyond the confines of their research paradigm.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Baran

AbstractReductionist thinking in neuroscience is manifest in the widespread use of animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders. Broader investigations of diverse behaviors in non-model organisms and longer-term study of the mechanisms of plasticity will yield fundamental insights into the neurobiological, developmental, genetic, and environmental factors contributing to the “massively multifactorial system networks” which go awry in mental disorders.


Author(s):  
Charles W. Allen

High voltage TEMs were introduced commercially thirty years ago, with the installations of 500 kV Hitachi instruments at the Universities of Nogoya and Tokyo. Since that time a total of 51 commercial instruments, having maximum accelerating potentials of 0.5-3.5 MV, have been delivered. Prices have gone from about a dollar per volt for the early instruments to roughly twenty dollars per volt today, which is not so unreasonable considerinp inflation and vastly improved electronics and other improvements. The most expensive HVEM (the 3.5 MV instrument at Osaka University) cost about 5 percent of the construction cost of the USA's latest synchrotron.Table 1 briefly traces the development of HVEM in this country for the materials sciences. There are now only three available instruments at two sites: the 1.2 MeV HVEM at Argonne National Lab, and 1.0 and 1.5 MeV instruments at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Fortunately, both sites are user facilities funded by DOE for the materials research community.


2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (18) ◽  
pp. 2447-2451
Author(s):  
Anissa Viveiros ◽  
Gavin Y. Oudit

Abstract The global prevalence of obesity has been rising at an alarming rate, accompanied by an increase in both childhood and maternal obesity. The concept of metabolic programming is highly topical, and in this context, describes a predisposition of offspring of obese mothers to the development of obesity independent of environmental factors. Research published in this issue of Clinical Science conducted by Litzenburger and colleagues (Clin. Sci. (Lond.) (2020) 134, 921–939) have identified sex-dependent differences in metabolic programming and identify putative signaling pathways involved in the differential phenotype of adipose tissue between males and females. Delineating the distinction between metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity is a topic of emerging interest, and the precise nature of adipocytes are key to pathogenesis, independent of adipose tissue volume.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (12) ◽  
pp. 83-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Blake Huer ◽  
Travis T. Threats

The World Health Organization's (WHO's) 2001 International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) has as one of its central tenets the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in society. It acknowledges the need for medical and rehabilitation intervention in its biopscychosocial framework. However, the WHO realizes that society must do its part to facilitate this full participation and empowerment. Persons with complex communication needs (PWCCN) often need augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in order to express themselves. However, in order to access and successfully use AAC, PWCCN need access to the necessary AAC devices and services, as well as a willing society to interact with them as full contributing members of society. The factors outside of a person's specific physical and/or cognitive functional limitations are addressed in the ICF via the Personal and Environmental Factors. Personal Factors include the individual's personality traits, lifestyle, experiences, social/educational/professional background, race, gender, and age. Environmental Factors include community support systems, social service agencies, governments, social networks, and those persons that interact with the PWCCN. This article addresses the sociopolitical influences on PWCCN and their functioning from a human rights perspective. The necessary introspective role of speech-language pathologists in this process is explored.


2004 ◽  
Vol 171 (4S) ◽  
pp. 99-99
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Serretta ◽  
Vincenzo Altieri ◽  
Giuseppe Morgia ◽  
Rosalinda Allegro ◽  
Alessandra Di Lallo ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Schick

The following study is based on a sample of 241 9-13-year-old children (66 children from divorced parents, 175 children from non divorced parents). They were examined for differences regarding anxiety, self-esteem, different areas of competence, and degree of behavior problems. With a focus on the children’s experiences, the clinically significant differences were examined. Clinically significant differences, revealing more negative outcomes for the children of divorce, were only found for social anxiety and unstable performance. The frequency of clinical significant differences was independent of the length of time the parents had been separated. The perceived destructiveness of conflict between the parents one of four facets of interparental conflict in this study functioned as a central mediator of the statistically significant group differences. The children’s perception of the father’s social support was a less reliable indicator of variance. Further studies should try to make underlying theoretical assumptions about the effects of divorce more explicit, to distinguish clearly between mediating variables, and to investigate them with respect to specific divorce adjustment indicators.


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