That said, I’m not surprised that Meldrum hopes something comes of it. He strikes me as being more than smart enough to know that validation is more important than who provides it.

I’m also not surprised at CNN giggling-newsbabe, Ploughboy. Until those are taken off the bigfoot beat, don’t count on anything good.

Previously dna tests on putative sasquatch samples were done under the giant shadow of the new york labs led by Todd Disodell an arch sasquatch sceptic, who’s lab for many years either found every sample had No dna (is this possible ?) was contaminated by human dna or was something mundane like bear etc. I think this was over a period of about 16 years !

Dr Ketchum and events like the denesova discovery and dna analysis, which outranked the small bits of bone found completely changed the situation from a dna desert to an exciting and challenging one. Where dna imformation has become so desirable and the subject of hugh attention and interest.

Her suggestions about what sasquatch may or may not be, are perhaps improbable and may be wrong but sasquatch is clearly something very different and she may be right. At this time its mostly speculation. Arguments about whether sasquatch is apoid or humanoid are a bit premature other than in a rather speculative way.

Dr meldrums publication etiquette may be a bit lacking or new but isnt sasquatch a very special case ? It seems to me short of getting her and her teams work through peer review and published she would still suffer all the vituperation and criticism that she has. Very difficult to do for all sorts of reasons not her fault.

I think one has to be tolerent about her friends bringing in the psychic even though I dont rule it out. It is not relevant to the dna studies and scientists can easily let it muddy the waters. As things are and all the pressure Dr Ketchum is under she must need good friends who are reporting such events. A lot of scientists do not recognize the paranormal except as an aberration but it is in my opinion a valid subject of study on its own.

Bring on the data !

“BTW — the spokesperson would divulge neither a timeline for publication, nor which journal received the submission. She did however inform us that they were in regular communication (psychic?) with sasquatch, and that they (the sasquatch) were enthusiastic about the study and the press release, and are completely supportive of Melba’s project.”

Excuse me, what?
Repeat that again?

BTW — the spokesperson would divulge neither a timeline for publication, nor which journal received the submission. She did however inform us that they were in regular communication (psychic?) with sasquatch, and that they (the sasquatch) were enthusiastic about the study and the press release, and are completely supportive of Melba’s project.

I feel like that guy in Land of the Lost when Will Ferrell said he had Hadrosaur Urine in his plastic container.

I also feel like I did when I heard about how those guys in Gorgia who claimed to have killed a Sasquatch, mentioned “Leprechauns” and other things like that on one of their answering machines. RED FLAG!

I hope Dr. Meldrum misheard or something, because if not, this is something that can destroy who knows how many careers, damaging beyond repair many’s scientific credibility. Heck, just credibility period!

1. Encounters oftern involve a foul sulfur like stench. Apes omit a similar odor from their apocrine glands when agitated or startled.

2. Most bigfoot sightings suggest a creature with shorter legs, longer arms, and a longer trunk than humans. Also a characteristic found in apes compared to humans.

3. The bigfoot (according to sightings and P/G film) has a flat nose that is wide and flat against face. Human noses are norrow and project downwards and ape noses are relatively wide and flat.

4. Bigfoots are often described with having thick coats of hair. (visual aid P/G, Jacobs Creature, Freeman Footage) All apes (sans a few with genetic disorders) are completely covered with hair with the exception of their face. Humans are only sparcely covered with hair so my guess is people would be reporting an unknown animal which looked more like H. mousteriensis (or Neanderthal)

Your last counter point is baseless since there are no “hybrid human” bones in the New World either. We currently do not have any foot bones/fossils for Gigantopithecus Blacki so there is no true way to tell if they had oppasable toes or not.

I would say the evidence strongly suggests it is an ape. Check back with me in a few weeks (vs a few months) and see how Ketchum’s research and this hybrid theory is holding up. Until then….enjoy the STEAK and blueberry bagels.

Apes also don’t have human-like feet, nor do they walk on their hind legs, without awkwardness and for a brief time.

BOTH these things, and more, strongly point away from the Lone Ape Theory. That’s the way it is.

Well, in the immortal words of Willie’s drummer Paul: It is o.k. to step on your own d***. Just don’t stand on it.

So, weeks you say? This file diaried for 7.5 of those. Your serve Dr. K.

“Tissue samples?” Hmmm.

In the end, I have to say, if Dr. Meldrum is reserving judgment until the data is disclosed, who am I to form any conclusions now?