Scientists find genetic signature of Down syndrome in ancient bones

Re:Scientists find genetic signature of Down syndrome in anc... by tzs on Thursday February 29, 2024 @12:01AM (#39546529)

Relatively recent advances allow for going back way more than 5000 years. Just last week Nova on PBS did an episode profiling one of the main contributors to pushing the limit back. https://www.pbs.org/video/hunt-for-the-oldest-dna-zckys0/

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Re:Scientists find genetic signature of Down syndrome in anc... by elif on Thursday February 29, 2024 @08:15AM (#39548867)

It seems to me that this would validate the practice of sarcophagizing Egyptian pharaohs such that they can be reborn in the afterlife.

As far as I understand it, we now have the technological capacity to do so, and simply lack the moral and legal capability.

For me this would push occams razor toward the notion that endeavoring to build monumental generational-construction-project tombs was not an act of cultural vanity but actually an informed and practical decision made with some form of ancient knowledge.

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Re:Scientists find genetic signature of Down syndrome in anc... by jhardy54 on Thursday February 29, 2024 @08:40AM (#39549136)

Being able to read DNA != being able to clone humans.

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Re:Scientists find genetic signature of Down syndrome in anc... by lazide on Thursday February 29, 2024 @10:46AM (#39550908)

Also, being able to clone humans != being able to restore a human (with all their memories, experiences, personality, etc.).

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Re:Scientists find genetic signature of Down syndrome in anc... by pavel_lishin on Thursday February 29, 2024 @09:16AM (#39549534)

Even if we could clone them, is it really a form of rebirth? They'd have no memory of their previous life - it's as much a form of rebirth as me freezing my sperm to be used after my death.

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