The question answering (QA) research group at Carnegie Mellon University has recently released an open source version of their Ephyra Question and Answer System. The software utilizes the internet to answer linguistic questions as well as recognize syntax, word ordering, and tone, using a series of algorithms to produce the most context-appropriate and statistically correct [...]
February 27, 2008
NCKX5, a protein involved in the assembly of melanosomes and ultimately in skin coloration
I know Razib and I are both interested in how skin color is determined. Many different genetic loci have been identified as factors in the skin pigmentation biochemical pathway. It can be a mysterious task, but often all it takes is homology in sequences to clue investigators into considering a new loci as a possible [...]
February 27, 2008
Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotopes in Human Hair can tell us where we’re from
Couple weeks ago we saw how stable isotope analysis was used in a paleoanthropological context, with a Neandertal tooth. A new study published in this week’s issue of PNAS, extends stable isotope analysis from bones to hair — and this time instead of looking at strontium, a metal, hydrogen and oxygen isotopes were screened. Here’s [...]
February 27, 2008
Four Stone Hearth : XXXV : ‘Giants Are Real’ Edition @ Archaeoporn
As will be apparent from the headline, the latest edition of the anthropology blog carnival Four Stone Hearth has hit the cyber-stands, courtesy of Archaeoporn, so be sure to head on over, as there is a very good variety of submissions, s0me of which are from blogs that may not be immediately familiar to regular [...]
