<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><h3>Please note: both seminars this week will be in the Knight Conference Room, E19-623, at 4:30pm!</h3><h3>Tuesday, March 13<br>
</h3><p><strong>Climate Change: The Solid... And the Surprises?</strong><br>
<a href="http://www.eesi.psu.edu/people/Alley.shtml">Richard Alley</a> VIA SKYPE, Penn State.
</p><p>Richard is interested in the broad role of ice in the climate system, as a recorder of climate change, driver of climate and sea-level change, and modifier of landscapes. He participates in measurement of ice-core physical properties to learn about ice-sheet flow and climate history, and he does a little simple modeling, theory, and occasional field work to address the other questions.</p><p><strong>Please note: this seminar begins at 4:30pm</strong></p>
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<h3><img src="http://web.mit.edu/knight-science/img/seminars/seminarSpeakers/reich.jpg" alt="Reich" height="86" hspace="10" align="left" width="65">Thursday, March 15<br>
</h3><p><strong>Genetic evidence for interbreeding between archaic and modern humans</strong><br>
<a href="http://www.hms.harvard.edu/dms/BBS/fac/reich.php">David Reich</a>, Genetecist and Professor at Harvard Medical School.</p><div>The Reich laboratory studies population mixture as a foundation for medical, evolutionary and population genetics. Human population history is often explained as a series of “splits”: the divergence of human and chimpanzee ancestors 5-7 million years ago, the spread of modern humans into Eurasia 40,000-100,000 years ago, and the spread into the Americas by at least 15,000 years ago.<br><br>However, population mixture has also played a key role in human history. Examples include the origin of African Americans and Latinos, who arose from mixture associated with the slave trade and migrations in the last few hundred years, and the origin of South Asians, who likely descend from mixture of an European-like and ancient Asian population 3,500-8,500 years ago. Looking further back, population mixture may even have occurred during the speciation of humans and chimpanzees, with our ancestors first splitting, then coming together before finally separating. Dr. Reich's group develops novel statistical methods for analyzing data, and shows that these methods work in practice by testing them on data they collect in their lab. They have applied these ideas not only to learn about history, but also to identify risk factors for prostate cancer and multiple sclerosis in a recently mixed population: African Americans.</div><p><strong>Please note: this seminar begins at 4:30pm</strong></p></body></html>