Topping things off...

This week has been, to make an understatement, pretty amazing. Less than 3 hours after starting my new job I recieved a scholarship offer for my PhD, to start in February. After a rollercoaster last few months and being told I wouldn't be offered a scholarship this year this was a bolt out of the blue.

My research is on taphonomic processes on human tissues and at some point (hopefully on the weekend) I will put some links and references on here.

The Hobbit

For those of you interested in The Hobbit (Homo floresiensis) there is yet another study proposing microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II.

"In the study, released by the journal Science, an international team of researchers led by Anita Rauch of the Institute of Human Genetics in Erlangen, Germany, examined a number of individuals with a condition known as microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II — or MOPD II for short. What they found was that a key mutation in chromosome 21 likely led to the condition — a finding that represents a first-of-its-kind genetic explanation for this type of dwarfism."

Some links for The Hobbit online (I make no guarantee regarding the quality of their content):

Hobbit-Like Human Ancestor Found in Asia

Homo floresiensis - Wikipedia

Scientists Scuttle Claims that the "Hobbit" Fossil from Flores, Indonesia, is a New Hominid

Homo floresiensis: the Hobbit

Flores hobbit was sick human: scientists

Homo Floresiensis: the Hobbits of Flores Island

Flores Man - Hobbit (more links from About.com)

Searches for the Hobbit in Journals:

Science/AAAS

Journal of Human Evolution

Journals via Wiley InterScience

Journals via SpringerLink


Some links for MOPD II:

Hall, JG, C Flora, CI Scott Jr, RM Pauli and KI Tanaka (2004) "Majewski Osteodysplastic Primordial Dwarfism Type II (MOPD II): Natural History and Clinical Findings". American Journal of Medical Genetics. 130A:55-72.

PrimordialDwarfism.com

A new era

At least, it will be for me.

Having finally finished my degree I start working next week as a research assistant. I am excited and slightly nervous, and keep thinking "don't stuff this up!"

I know everything will be well, and am really looking forward to putting all the hard slog of the last 10 years (yes, it took me an awfully long time to finish!) into practice.