The OpenHelix Blog

UPDATE February 13, 2013: The paper is apparently out. I’ll be tracking new information about it in this post: The Sasquatch Genome paper is out

Last night a hilarious press release started going around. I saw it first from this tweet:

Wants to bet on whether this paper gets through peer review? Claims that DNA shows Sasquatch is human/hominin hybrid: bit.ly/UV5JRL

— Zen Faulkes (@DoctorZen) November 26, 2012

It was irresistible. I had to read the release, and all I could think about was finding the Sasquatch Genome Browser. It eludes me right now.

It got even better today with the additional piece of information from this blog, via David Wood on Google+ :  Who is Melba Ketchum’s Spokesperson? And who said what about Angel DNA?

Yes, that’s right. There’s more.

Oh, I can’t wait to see this paper. For a laugh I searched PubMed to see what kind of Bigfoot data there is already, and to my surprise he’s in there.  Of course, the paper is about the psychology of monster hunters. And also about the tension between “amateur naturalists and professional scientists”.

It was an old animosity held deep in the American psyche about theoretical science and suspect ‘intellectual elites’. It was the dark anti-intellectualism of American populism.

And it references a Nature paper on “Abominable Snowman”. I kid you not. Linked below.

Anyway–Zen Faulkes is beginning to track the story. And I agree with the quote from Neil Gaiman:

I do not care if this is true or not. It makes the world a cooler place & it delights me(.)

I’m going to keep this post as a placeholder to collect the chatter. It may get updated as the story unfolds.

Other coverage:

@MishaAngrist: “I sequenced Sasquatch.” http://t.co/3pDRHDOP #NotAnOnionStory

@DrMelbaKetchum: Here is our official response to the questions about our study: http://t.co/EGBHsvz0

Here’s an older bit about a copyright application. Seems there’s a book and documentary to come as well? Texas DNA specialist writes that Sasquatch is a modern human being

Steve Novella: Bigfoot DNA

BusinessInsider: Woman Claims To Have Sequenced Bigfoot’s Genome

Doubtful News: Melba Ketchum announces Bigfoot DNA results. Without the data.

Houston Chronicle: Like OMG! Scientists have sequenced Bigfoot DNA !!!!!!

Christian Science Monitor: ‘Bigfoot’ is part human, claims study based on purported Sasquatch DNA

Are you kidding me? Proves? Please fire this headline writer:

Please fire this headline writer. STAT!

Commenter JY offers this from the Yakima Herald Republic: Sasquatch: Does DNA say it’s human?

Fox News: ‘Bigfoot’ is part human, DNA study claims

Via @leonidkruglyak: Winning “Sasquatch DNA” headline: http://t.co/Lwl8XUZc Boffin claims Bigfoot DNA reveals BESTIAL BONKING

Video interview with Ketchum on Houston TV station, also hat tip to JY: Does Bigfoot have human DNA?

The Scientist: Suspect Sasquatch Sequencing

Skeptoid’s Brian Hudson: Bigfoot DNA! Click Here! Click Here!

Time Magazine: Bigfoot Is Part Human, and Here Are the DNA Tests to Prove It, Claims Woman

BioTechniques: Bigfoot Genome?  “In 2006, Coltman and colleagues sequenced a supposed Bigfoot hair sample collected in Teslin, Yukon (1). The results showed it was just bison hair. ”

Ah. Well, that’s sorted: RT @ivanoransky: I found the source of the Sasquatch DNA! http://t.co/YnIrybdl

The Verge: Why is Bigfoot eating bagels?

References:

Regal, B. (2008). Amateur versus professional: the search for Bigfoot Endeavour, 32 (2), 53-57 DOI: 10.1016/j.endeavour.2008.04.005

TSCHERNEZKY, W. (1960). A Reconstruction of the Foot of the ‘Abominable Snowman’ Nature, 186 (4723), 496-497 DOI: 10.1038/186496a0

Comments: 5