Genetic analysis of hair samples attributed to yeti, bigfoot and other anomalous primates

Proc Biol Sci. 2014 Aug 22;281(1789):20140161. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2014.0161.

Abstract

In the first ever systematic genetic survey, we have used rigorous decontamination followed by mitochondrial 12S RNA sequencing to identify the species origin of 30 hair samples attributed to anomalous primates. Two Himalayan samples, one from Ladakh, India, the other from Bhutan, had their closest genetic affinity with a Palaeolithic polar bear, Ursus maritimus. Otherwise the hairs were from a range of known extant mammals.

Keywords: almasty; bigfoot; mitochondrial DNA; sasquatch; yeti.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bhutan
  • Fossils
  • Genetic Testing
  • Hair / physiology*
  • India
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Primates / genetics*
  • RNA
  • RNA, Mitochondrial
  • RNA, Ribosomal*
  • Ursidae / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Mitochondrial
  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, ribosomal, 12S
  • RNA

Associated data

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