Scan Reveals Human Hair Contains... Beta-Keratin

A quick overview of what beta-keratin is:

β-keratin is found in reptiles. (...) In birds, scales, beaks, claws and feathers also contain β-keratin of the avian family.

A team led by Vesna Stanic, from the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Source, recently analyzed a human hair using X-ray diffraction. The purpose was to evaluate the chemistry of human hair so to advance hair treatment strategies. But during the analysis, the team discovered something quite unusual about our hair:

Before this study, human hair was thought to be composed only of a fibrous protein called alpha keratin, as well as certain minerals and lipids. The scientists were therefore extremely surprised to find that a key diffraction feature of alpha keratin was absent in the area between a hair strand's cuticle and cortex. The pattern instead corresponded to beta keratin.

Although our hair is mostly composed of alpha keratin - like that of mammals -, it happens that a part of it is also composed of beta keratin - the component of avian/reptilian scales, claws and feathers.

Only recently did this came to light, for until now the direction of X-ray diffraction was done perpendicularly, missing the signature which was only revealed when Stanic performed a parallel scan.

According to Daven Presgraves, from the University of Rochester's Department of Biology, this happened when homo sapiens entertained relations with Neanderthals.

people of non-African heritage today retain Neanderthal alleles (alternative gene types) at genes affecting keratin filaments.
(...)

"Modern humans who interbred with Neanderthals on their way out of Africa were, in effect, able to borrow these keratin-associated alleles, perhaps accelerating adaptation to a Eurasian environment that was new to them."

it seems we are quite unique of a specie indeed.

So you are saying HN are reptiles?

Well, we are somewhat "engineered" aren't we?

originally posted by: yulka
So you are saying HN are reptiles?

Of course not.

I do believe that they mean to say that Neanderthals had hair with a bit more beta-keratin than the then-new homo sapiens - NOT that Neanderthals were reptilians. Remember that mammals cannot breed with reptiles.

So scan crossed website, warning

A new and surprising component of human hair has just been discovered, according to research that will be presented today at the annual meeting of the American Crystallographic Association, held in Philadelphia.

You serious? American Crystallographic Association

project leader Vesna Stanic, a scientist working at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Source, told Discovery News.

Scientist from where, what who?

This entire thread is horse#

Whooo... for minute there, I was thinking Beta-carotene that's mixed in my protein drink!

a reply to: yulka

What seems to be your problem?

The ACA is very real: www.amercrystalassn.org...

So is the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Source: lnls.cnpem.br...

And Vesna Stanic: br.linkedin.com...

Vesna Stanic
Scientist at Brazilian Synchrotron Light Source

You should try investigating instead of trolling.

a reply to: swanne

Remember that mammals cannot breed with reptiles.

But can birds breed with reptiles if reptiles can evolve into
birds? Dinosuars turned into birds right? Or were dinosaurs
already birds? Wait a minute, weren't some dinosaurs mammals?
Wouldn't that mean no dinosaurs were reptiles. Wait...
You know where time machine is? Cause I'm obviously
all ####ed up thru no fault of my own. Didn't the donsaurs
all become extinct? Are you saying dinosaurs had hair and feathers?
Why would only the dinosaurs become extinct
and not everything else alive at that time? Or did they? My eyes have
crossed.

a reply to: swanne

A website makes stuff real?

No it doesnt, P.O box at a train station in Buffalo, your defintion of real.

linkedin page non existing

Where is the research paper on this website???

lnls.cnpem.br...

Yeah id call this a hoax!

a reply to: randyvs

My answers are, respectively,

No. We think. More likely a gradient between the two. Well, the first mammal likely evolved from the therapsids during the Triassic. No, dinosaurs were reptiles. Wait for what? The nearest time machine is located right beneath you, its gravitational field is bending time in accordance with Einsteinian Relativity. I do believe you meant "###ed up", and not "####ed up". Yes, likely caused by an impact event. Some of them did. Because dinosaurs were not the only animals which went extinct at that time. Yes. I have an eye-decrosser but it has the form of a picture containing nudity and thus I cannot post it right now.

a reply to: yulka

Stanic is a member of the Bresilian Synchrotron Light:

Scientist – spokesperson for SAXS2
Vesna Stanic
Phone: 
+55 19 3512 1044
E-mail: [email protected]

Source: lnls.cnpem.br...

Where is the research paper on this website???

How do I know? I didn't design the website. Why don't you ask Discovery, or Stanic herself?

a reply to: swanne

Ill try to explain:

I make a magazine; write an article: Aliens landed on planet earth, raped cows, and took a dump on the farmers door.

Now i make a link to NASA, no article on NASA stating a Alien took a #, and i link to a person who doesnt exist on linkedin, but i have a email adress thats on the NASA website, including a phone number. Do i call to verify the claim, hell no.

Cause nothing is verified, its a imaginary story.

Read my fine printed blue line underneath, it explains certain stuff.

originally posted by: yulka
a reply to: swanne

A website makes stuff real?

No it doesnt, P.O box at a train station in Buffalo, your defintion of real.

linkedin page non existing

Where is the research paper on this website???

lnls.cnpem.br...

Yeah id call this a hoax!

I wasn't aware the downtown train station nor the suburb train station had PO Boxes. I live 1 mile outside of buffalo.
I live about 3 miles from the suburb train station. and what is the ''stop" stuff about?

a reply to: reldra

Its ATS emoticons, i just click it

American Crystallographic Association P.O. Box 96 Ellicott Station Buffalo, NY 14205-0096

originally posted by: yulka
a reply to: reldra

Its ATS emoticons, i just click it

American Crystallographic Association P.O. Box 96 Ellicott Station Buffalo, NY 14205-0096

LOL. That is not a train station. That is the USPS near the subway stop called 'Ellicott'.

a reply to: yulka

Founded in 1949 American Chrystallographic Association Wikipedia

a reply to: swanne

Mammals evolved from early reptile-like creatures...
...so, yeah -- it makes sense to me.

a reply to: reldra

Founded in 1949 American Chrystallographic Association Wikipedia

Research paper? And a research paper doesnt get verified by a link to wikipedia.

Problem isnt the ACA

a reply to: swanne

I have an eye-decrosser but it has the form of a picture containing nudity and thus I cannot post it right now.

lol
No problem swanne, nothing a night sleep won't correct!

a reply to: randyvs
I see double with both eyes, but if I close one it is not double vision. If you get your eyes uncrossed, maybe there is a cure for me?