The Human Brain Owes Its Existence to a Prehistoric Pandemic
Key points. A retroviral infection is responsible for evolution of the human brain from chimpanzee ancestors. The viral DNA regulates genes that drive brain development. The viral DNA is not a gene, so it eluded researchers looking for genes responsible for human brain evolution. Seven million years ago, the evolution of humans and chimpanzees suddenly split from their common ancestor. New research finds that a retroviral infection inserted viral DNA into the genome of early chimpanzees can account for the enormous increase in size and cognitive power of the human brain. ….[READ]
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