This just in…
A reporter from The Houston Chronicle states he spoke with Melba for an hour and was allowed for a geneticist friend of his double check one or more of the samples from the Ketchum project which were from a “Novel and Non-Human Species.”
The results were that of an opossum and other mixed species, dealing yet another blow to the long waited for and revered “Ketchum Study.”
Back in February I savaged the release of a research paper that claimed to prove the existence of Bigfoot by providing a DNA sequence from the species.
The paper contained details of DNA from the “Sasquatch genomes,” which the authors characterized as novel and non-human.
Following the paper’s publication I solicited the views of several geneticists on the work. From their reading of the scientific paper — published in a journal that had been started just the week before — they said at best the evidence was inconclusive.
Ketchum
In summarizing my views of the work, led by Nacogdoches geneticist Melba Ketchum, I was blunt and brutal:
If Ketchum really had the goods she would have co-authored the paper with reputable scientists and gotten the work published in a reputable scientific journal. Instead she’s playing to an audience that doesn’t understand how science works, that wants to believe Bigfoot exists and is willing to send her some cash to further their delusions.
A funny thing happened later that week — Ketchum called me. We spoke for nearly an hour, and after the bad things I had written about her research, I was impressed that she bore no grudge and wanted to nonetheless engage with me. It was a good and constructive conversation.
I am first and foremost a journalist, and I figured if there was even a 1 percent chance that the Bigfoot evidence was real, it was worth my time to check the story out.
So I agreed to be an intermediary between Ketchum and a highly reputable geneticist in Texas, whom I trusted and knew personally. I also knew that this geneticist was first and foremost a scientist, and if there was even a 1 percent chance the Bigfoot evidence was real, he’d want check out the story. I asked, and he was willing to approach the evidence with an open mind.
(Why am I maintaining my source’s anonymity? Because some of his peers would question his engagement on such a topic, believing it unworthy of valuable research time. But make no mistake, he is a top-notch scientist at the top of his field.)
The deal was this: I would hold off writing anything until this geneticist had his lab test the DNA samples obtained by Ketchum that were purportedly a novel and non-human species. If the evidence backed up Ketchum’s claims, I had a blockbuster story. My geneticist source would have a hand in making the scientific discovery of the decade, or perhaps the century. Ketchum would be vindicated.
In short, we would all have been winners.
Alas, I met my geneticist friend this past week and I asked about the Bigfoot DNA. It was, he told me, a mix of opossum and other species. No find of the century.
Till Next Time,
Squatch-D
Dr. Ketchum has replied to the assertions that evidence points to her DNA results to be indicative of having come from an opossum or other species. There is testimony from another source, in this case not an unidentified and anonymous source, but by Dr. Haskell Hart, who stated:
1. The mtDNA of 29 samples is essentially human.
2. The nDNA of three samples (26, 31,and 140) has homology to human nDNA on chromosome 11, but is not entirely human.
3. The nDNA of three samples(26, 31, and 140) is not related to black bear, raccoon or opossum.”
Yet another Scientist, Dr. David H. Swenson, Ph.d communicated the following to Dr. Ketchum.
“Brien Foerster, Jeff Kart, and other interested parties.
I went over the manuscript by Melba Ketchum on Bigfoot genomics.
My desktop had difficulty with a BLAST analysis of the consensus sequences.
It helped me understand more about the project.
This collaborative venture has done a huge project that taxes me to fully grasp.
I see interesting homology with a standard human sequence with 99% match for mitochondria.
From my abbreviated study, the nuclear genome seems to have human and nonhuman sequences.
My opinion of the creature is that it is a hybrid of a human mother and an unknown hominid male, Just as reported.
For all practical purposes, it should be treated as human and protected under law.
Brien, selection of Melba’s lab for your studies is a very good call.
Sasquatch is real, as proven by genetic analysis.”
Dr. David H. Swenson Ph.D.
He later sent another communication to Dr. Ketchum, which I quote:
“I did more BLAST analyses and came up with the same confusion the independent labs had.
The genome has some good human matches and some unknowns.”
“The sequences are not contaminated, near as I can tell.
I have not searched for open reading frames, but that is beyond the scope of my tools.
The close matches are gapped with sequences that match nothing.
AMEL and MY genes match humans in some cases, in others, not.
If I am wrong, I would like to be shown with data, not uninformed opinion from “experts”.
Dr. David H. Swenson, Ph.D.
A third scientist, Dr. T. Joy Clay Chrisman, Ph.D., PMP wrote, and I quote:
“I fully support Dr. Ketchum and her research and appreciate having the research and data. I make a point of stating the scientific methodology was very sound and all necessary precautions were taken.”
It would appear that three to one, especially when the one is an anonymous, unidentified person of dubious origin and with no confirmed credentials or academic standing, ought to be enough, but just in case you still have any doubts whatsoever of the validity of the DNA findings produced by the Sasquatch Genome Project, with 11 scientists on board, I will list the following points of proof of the existence of Homo sapiens cognatus, registered with ZooBank in 2012.
The existence of Homo sapiens cognatus is based on DNA Evidence consisting of:
1. Three (3) complete Nuclear Genomes, sequenced by the University of Texas Southwestern
DNA Laboratory on the Illuimina Platform
2. Twenty (20) complete Mitochondrial Genomes have also been sequenced.
3. Ten (10) partial Mitochondrial Genomes have also been sequenced.
4. There has been validation of the Alignment of the Three Nuclear Genomes by the University
of Texas Nortwestern
5. A determination of Consistent Homology of the Three Nuclear Genomes, which is proof of a
common ancestor
6. The Independent Verification of the Validity of the Data produced by the Sasquatch Genome
Project by three “Qualified Scientists”, namely Dr. David H. Swenson, Dr. Haskell Hart,
and Dr. T. Joy Clay Chrisman
The succinct statement of Dr. David H. Swenson, rather well sums up the matter for all time.
“Sasquatch is real, as proven by genetic analysis.”
Now could the skeptics find something else to complain about. This one is in the can!
Bigfoot DNA Believer