The Ketchum Bigfoot DNA Study Fiasco, with Some Questions for Igor Burtsev

This is a re-post from my other blog,
THE BIGFOOT NEWS AND REVIEW. If you haven't seen it, go check out the other posts there.

This post is a sort of compendium and quick analysis of the fast-breaking DNA madness (I won't say "news") hitting the Bigfoot world and the national media of late.

Recently a huge media flap was started by a seemingly innocent post by Russian "Hominologist," Igor Bursev, after he posted information disclosing "secrets" about the uber-secretive Melba Ketchum Bigfoot DNA Project. Supposedly, this study has been in peer review for publication in a professional scientific journal. This could, of course, prove that Bigfoot may indeed exist... not the publication, but the scrutiny and potential acceptance of the methodology and data that the paper presents. Unfortunately, no one but the inner cabal knows the actual data/method content of the paper. What we have gotten, for the past two years now at least, is a myriad of leaks and supposition, many coming from the Ketcumites themselves, or Ketchum herself (despite the claimed need for silence during review and research).

Most problematic is the question, IS BURTSEV ALSO A KETCHUMITE? His apparent ladyfriend, Robyn Lynne "ForestPerson" is now apparently the media spokesperson for Ketchum. Igor spends much time with her in the suburban woods of Michigan pursuing possibly phantom Bigfeets. Well, so, Igor leaked this "news," but was it even news? Was there anything actually NEW in it? No. Basically everything in their press announcement has been known already by the Bigfoot community for over a year. It did, in fact, confirm and vindicate about 90% of the stories published by sometime Bigfoot blogger Robert Lindsay. These stories by Lindsay have been consistently denied by the Ketchum Kamp, and they have spoken constantly about the need for secrecy during the peer review process. Countless times during the four years passed in which this study has been ongoing they have said it would be published SOON. Well, it hasn't been published, and it hasn't even been announced that it has passed the peer review process. Ketchum herself said that is had NOT passed peer review. Where is the PROOF in the pudding? So far there is none.

Nephilim Shape-shifter?

What is going on here? It's pretty clear, folks... they are waging a PUBLIC RELATIONS campaign, meant to circumvent and precede any announcements coming from the Oxford-Lausanne Collateral Hominid Project, headed by a real advanced academic scientist, Bryan Sykes. The timeframe and description of the project:
As part of a larger enquiry into the genetic relationship between our own species Homo sapiens and other hominids, we invite submissions of organic material from formally undescribed species, or “cryptids”, for the purpose of their species identification by genetic means.
Timetable
The project is divided into three phases.
SAMPLE SUBMISSION PHASE May – September 2012
DNA ANALYSIS PHASE September – November 2012
PUBLICATION PHASE November – December 2012

Isn't it clear? Burtsev was used (or let it appear that way) to get the as-yet unpublishable Ketchum paper into the news ahead of Sykes.

I'll say this: Even if this Bigfoot DNA paper passes review and is published, its findings and methods will still need to be scrutinized by the larger scientific community before it can be considered valid scientific fact. Publication does not prove a proposition; it offers the proposition up for scrutiny.

In this frame of thought, I've come up with some questions for Igor. Below, keep reading for examples of what Igor actually said, as found on the COALITION FOR REASON, SCIENCE AND SANITY IN BIGFOOT RESEARCH page on Facebook. I sincerely hope that Burtsev will answer these, but now he has had yesterday and today with no answer yet. This should dispel some rumors, such as the one that the paper is going to be published in a Russian scientific (or even paranormalist) journal. What was going on that led up to this? Igor wanted to help Ketchum, obviously, but also to dispel false statements made in the Russian media about Bigfoot DNA. Read onward...

QUESTIONS FOR BURTSEV:
Igor Burtsev, will you clarify some issues and rumors?

1) Did you release the information about the DNA study on behalf of Ketchum, or despite her wishes that you or anyone not do so?

2) Is there any truth to the rumor that you are going to publish the DNA study in a Russian journal? Did you mean to imply that, or were you just talking about publishing your press release about it?

3) Is it the same Robin Lynne (ForestPerson) that you have worked with who is now Ketchum's publicist?

4) Are you, then, involved with the Ketchum project yourself (an insider, so to speak), and privy to its full details and potential publication status?

5) Will it EVER be published in a peer reviewed journal? I ask this because your second statement the other day implied that it was being SUPPRESSED by the scientific status quo establishment and was most likely to be rejected or "covered-up."

6) Why, after so many months (years) of stating that she COULD NOT talk about the paper before its peer review and publication, did she (and you) suddenly leak the summary of results and findings? This is a direct self-contradiction, and seems also to violate all the principles of the professional publication process spoken of earlier and constantly. In fact, it seems like "Science by Press Release," rather than real professional Science in practice.

7) Was this information released to circumvent and precede the upcoming results from the Sykes Oxford-Lausanne DNA study?

8) How can they (or you) declare this to be "Proof" of Bigfoot's existence, not to mention its supposed Human status (complete with political agenda) when the paper has NOT YET PASSED peer review, let alone scrutiny from the larger community of scientists post-publication?

9) Igor Burtsev, what field of study is your degree in, and at what equivalent level would that hold in the United States (a doctorate, or a master's degree as Paul Vella has said)? Are you a Scientist or Historian? I'm just curious. Thanks!
*******
First...
Does Igor have a Ph.D., since he calls himself "Doctor," and allows many others to call him that? Is he a scientist, even? Well, here is what is said on his own web page:
Igor Burtsev, born in 1940, candidate of historical sciences, publisher, president of the Cryptosphere Fund for furthering scientific searches and explorations, director of the International Center of Hominology.
What are "historical sciences"? What is meant by "candidate"? It would seem that Burtsev has not completed a dissertation, and is actually some form of historian.
http://hominology.narod.ru/eng.htm


Paul Vella, one-time honcho at the Bigfoot Forums, had this to say:
Paul Vella We had a case a few years back of a guy in the same professional field as me, who like Burtsev had a qualification that he was led to believe was the 'equivalent' of a Bachelor of Science Degree - for years he produced reports for court with BSc in hisqualifications, and swore under oath that he had a degree. When it was discovered that he only 'thought' he had a degree because he was told it was equivalent to, he was prosecuted for perjury.
This is the situation Burtsev is in - he may well believe his qualification is equivalent to a Phd, but the reality is that it isn't, and isn't recognised in the west as a Phd.
In the same way that a UK Veterinarian, unlike a US Veterinarian is not a 'Doctor' - if a UK Vet moves to the US, they can't start calling themselves 'Dr' just because US Vets do - the UK qualification does not allow you to call yourself doctor even though it is more stringent than the US qualification.
This is the same argument we had years ago about Moneymaker referring to himself as a 'Lawyer' even though he never took or passed the Bar in any US state and never practised law.

*******

What did Igor really say? HERE:

URGENT announcement from Igor Burtsev ...

"International Center of Hominology (Russia)
Urgent!

The DNA analysis of the Bigfoot/Sasquatch specimen conducted by Dr. Melba Ketchum the head of DNA Diagnostics, Timpson, TX, USA has been over!
Team of American scientists led by Dr. Melba Ketchum for five years has analyzed 109 purported samples of such creatures. The study has sequenced DNA of a novel North American hominin, commonly called Bigfoot or Sasquatch.
There were a large number of laboratories associated with this study including academic, private and government laboratories in which blind testing was utilized to avoid prejudice in testing. Great time and care was taken in the forensic laboratories to assure no contamination occurred with any of the samples utilized in this study.
After 5 years of this study the scientists can finally answer the question of what sasquatch really is. It is human like us only different, a hybrid of a human with unknown species. Early field research shows that the Bigfoot/Sasquatches are massively intelligent which has enabled them to avoid detection to a large extent. They are different than us, however human nonetheless.
The hybridization event could not have occurred more than 15000 years ago according to the mitochondrial data in some samples. Origin of this hominin was probably Middle Eastern/Eastern Europe and Europe originally though other geographic areas are not excluded.
The manuscript associated with this study has been submitted to a scientific reviewed magazine.
For years people have refused to believe they exist. Now that we know that they are real, it is up to us to protect them from those that would hunt or try to capture them for research or for sport. They should be left alone to live as they live now. After all, they are our relatives.
At this time, analysis of the Sasquatch genomes is still ongoing. Further data will be presented in the future following this original study. Additionally, analysis of various hair samples purportedly from Siberian Wildman are being tested in an effort to determine if relatedness exists between the Sasquatch and Russian Wildman.

Dr. Igor Burtsev,
Head of International Center of Hominology,
Moscow, Russia +7(916)812-6253
inhomin@yandex.ru "

THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE, dealing with Igor's concerns over the Russian media posting false stories, not an announcement that the Ketchum paper will be published in Russia. Why are people thinking that Igor is going to publish the DNA paper? It makes no sense at all.

OK, and then Igor responded to a question (he hasn't yet answered mine, above, go figure):
Igor Burtsev
I have received a question:

I have one question, what motivated you to share what you did today?
... and that you simply didn't understand that you weren't supposed to release the information until the American Journal first published the results.

I'm answering.
We waited a couple of years the scientific publication by Dr. Melba Ketchum. But scientific magazines refuse to publish her nanuscript which deserves to be published. And I want to remind some facts of the destiny of scolars in our field.
Before the First World War our zoologist Vitaly Khahlov described the creature, named it Primihomo asiaticus. He send his scientific peport very circumstantial, thorough to the Russian Academy of Sciences. And what? The report was put into the box, and had stayed there till 1959, about half of century. Until Dr. Porshnev found it and published...
Dr. Porshnev himself had written a monograph "The present State of the Question of Relict Hominoids". It was issued in 1963 by the Academy of Sciences in some 180 copies only, for a special use. Only after a half of century (again!) it was publishe 1n 2012 in 2500 copies...
In 1960ths Mongolian Academician Rinchen had sent the skull of supposed almas to Poland, becaus our anthropologists refused to study it. Poland's anthropologist made a sculptural portrait of that creature, Rinchen called it Homo sapiens almas in 1960ths. But - it has been forgotten till last years... Again half a century!
I don't want the new discovery (not the first one, but the next one) to wait for another half a century to be recognized by haughty official scientific establishment!
That is why I broke the tradition, did not let this acheavement to wayt for ne[t half a century to be recognized. No matter of the publication in the scientific magazine^ people should know NOW, what bigfoot/sasquatch is.
As I know, one third of population of the USA believe in exuiosting of these creatures. And they deserve to know WHAT THEY ARE.

NONE DARE CALL IT CONSPIRACY? That is what the above is: Conspiracy Theory. If the manuscript is worthy and worthwhile Science, then it will be published.

What was Igor's real concern, and why was he releasing this press release? If not FOR Ketchum, then he did it to further refute THIS story, from the end of October and beginning of November:
http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.com/2012/10/russian-bigfoot-researcher-dr-igor.html
http://www.bigfootlunchclub.com/2012/11/yeti-hair-dna-news-from-across-world.html
http://www.bigfootlunchclub.com/2012/11/professor-valentin-sapunov-doubles-down.html

• October 31 at 8:23pm via mobile · Like · 1
• 

  Igor Burtsev In that comment published in Siberian Times there was a soft edition of my attitude. I can say more strictly: Dr Sapunov is a liar, he just tryed to make his PR, publicity, as he did it some times before also. Now I feel it was a pity that I attracted him to attend that conference and had given him several hairs from Azass cave to study. And he didn't inform me about results before publishing them first time about a year ago. After I made him warning for that, and he accused the reporter in exagerrating results. But again he claimed about "Study" this time - in the newspapers and on the TV (twice). Now it can't be forgiven him.

  November 2 at 4:40am · Like · 1
• 

  Igor Burtsev This lie was not initiated by the Kemerovo authorities, but by Sapunov himself, separately. He lives and works in St.Petersburg, some 3000 miles away of Kemerovo city

  November 2 at 4:44am · Edited · Like
• 

  Igor Burtsev The truth is that I've sent the hair samples to Japan, Italy, USA (TX), and Great Britain (Bryan Sykes project), and am waiting the DNA results

  
  

  and more....

• 

  Steven Streufert More hoaxy bullshit. Did they or did they not actually do a DNA analysis? Where are the results and data? It sounds more like they just looked at hair under a microscope.

  November 1 at 7:43am via mobile · Like · 1
• 

  Igor Burtsev Yes? you are right Steven, Dr Sapunov himself just did look at the sample under a microscope, but he is not a specialist on the hair, and he didn't compare with such samles as from apes or some animals usual in those areas (like a bear)/ Re DNA - NOBODY exzamined the samples in Russia. But I sent the sample to Japan, Italy, Great Britain (Dr Sykes' project), and TX, and now wait for the results. They haven't received yet. That proclamation in the news were just a PR action of Dr S., not of the Siberian authorities/

  November 1 at 3:05pm · Like · 1
• 

  Igor Burtsev And I don't agree with Dr. Meldrum, that the findings there in October of the previous year were orchestrated by authorities. The footprints there in the cave had the dermal ridges, and the wood arches found there were not made by humans, and they are very similar to Fverican ones... Also one month later new footprints were found by a local family on the snow in the same district, just about 50 km away of that cave.

  
  

  Igor Burtsev In this article there is mix of true and untrue info.

1/ This photo is not of Dr Sapunov, but somebody else
2/ That info about DNA analysis was made up by a journalist yet in December of 2011 and repeated now. Sapunov didn't tell that/
3/ Only untrue is his saying about the structure of the hair/ No hair specialists looked at the sample, just Sapunov himself. But he is not a hair-specialist, though his speciality is biology/ I believe it was necessary to compare the structure of that sample with other animals' hairs, and it was not done.
4/ But the academician Oleg Pugachyov from very beginning haughty refused to study the sample named it with upsetting word. that is why Sapunov started to studiy it by himself
5/ I have sent the hairs from Azass cave, Siberia, to DNA labs of four countries including the Dr Sykes project in UK and am waiting for results. We need just a little patiency to make conclusion, if those hairs are of Bigfoot or other animals.

Oh well. People are going to believe what they want to believe, I guess.

********

ON TO KETCHUM...

The Ketchum "Bigfoot DNA" copyright application from some two years ago now. Is it any different from the "news" in the last release? Nope, not really. Foregone conclusion, or is she a prophet?

Type of Work Preregistered: Motion Picture
Literary Work in Book Form
Advertising or Marketing Photograph

Preregistration Number / Date: PRE000003852 / 2010-09-16
Application Title: Sasquatch: The Tribe Revealed
Title: Sasquatch: The Tribe Revealed
Copyright Claimant: Melba Stinnett Ketchum. Address: TX, 75975, United States.
Creation of Work Began: 2008-04-07 (Approximate)
Date of Anticipated Completion: 2011-06-22 (Approximate)
Projected Date of Publication: 2012-02-15 (Approximate)
Authorship on Application: Melba Stinnett Ketchum.
Description of Work: A film and/or documentary, narration or audio book, supporting photos and literary paper/document/book that will follow the The Sasquatch Project, the scientist and the scientific testing and proof for the existence of Sasquatch/ Bigfoot. Information will include discussion of results including A New Tribe of Living Humans, the complete Sasquatch mitochondrial genome sequence and nuclear DNA variations and text will show complete mitochondrial (mt) genome sequences were identified from DNA, analysis of the assembled sequence unequivocally establishes that the Sasquatch mtDNA falls inside the range of modern human mtDNAs and discussions of the origins thereof. The proof that the Sasquatch is not only the closest living human relative but is actually a contemporary living human. Also discussed is nuclear DNA testing performed on the same samples and the variations found in various genes including MC1R gene RUNX2 and FOXP2 as well as other targets genes involved in the perception of sound, transmission of nerve signals, the production of sperm and the lactase gene. Also discussed is how testing has ruled out ape cross and any ancient contributor and that Sasquatch is indeed a modern human with some genetic mutations accounting for their physical appearance. Also included are discussion of the history of samples and circumstances surrounding the acquisition, their testing, the circumstances surrounding the entire Sasquatch DNA Project. Documentary stars Melba Ketchum, et al
Copyright Note: C.O. correspondence.
Names: Ketchum, Melba Stinnett

NOW, COMPARE THE ABOVE TO THE RECENT PRESS RELEASE BELOW...

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘BIGFOOT’ DNA SEQUENCED IN UPCOMING GENETICS STUDY

Five-Year Genome Study Yields Evidence of Homo sapiens/Unknown Hominin Hybrid Species in North America

Contact: Robin Lynne, media@dnadiagnostics.com, 231.622.5362

DALLAS, Nov. 24--A team of scientists can verify that their 5-year long DNA study, currently under peer-review, confirms the existence of a novel hominin hybrid species, commonly called “Bigfoot” or “Sasquatch,” living in North America. Researchers’ extensive DNA sequencing suggests that the legendary Sasquatch is a human relative that arose approximately 15,000 years ago as a hybrid cross of modern Homo sapiens with an unknown primate species.

The study was conducted by a team of experts in genetics, forensics, imaging and pathology, led by Dr. Melba S. Ketchum of Nacogdoches, TX. In response to recent interest in the study, Dr. Ketchum can confirm that her team has sequenced 3 complete Sasquatch nuclear genomes and determined the species is a human hybrid:

“Our study has sequenced 20 whole mitochondrial genomes and utilized next generation sequencing to obtain 3 whole nuclear genomes from purported Sasquatch samples. The genome sequencing shows that Sasquatch mtDNA is identical to modern Homo sapiens, but Sasquatch nuDNA is a novel, unknown hominin related to Homo sapiens and other primate species. Our data indicate that the North American Sasquatch is a hybrid species, the result of males of an unknown hominin species crossing with female Homo sapiens.

Hominins are members of the taxonomic grouping Hominini, which includes all members of the genus Homo. Genetic testing has already ruled out Homo neanderthalis and the Denisova hominin as contributors to Sasquatch mtDNA or nuDNA. “The male progenitor that contributed the unknown sequence to this hybrid is unique as its DNA is more distantly removed from humans than other recently discovered hominins like the Denisovan individual,” explains Ketchum.

“Sasquatch nuclear DNA is incredibly novel and not at all what we had expected. While it has human nuclear DNA within its genome, there are also distinctly non-human, non-archaic hominin, and non-ape sequences. We describe it as a mosaic of human and novel non-human sequence. Further study is needed and is ongoing to better characterize and understand Sasquatch nuclear DNA.”

Ketchum is a veterinarian whose professional experience includes 27 years of research in genetics, including forensics. Early in her career she also practiced veterinary medicine, and she has previously been published as a participant in mapping the equine genome. She began testing the DNA of purported Sasquatch hair samples 5 years ago.

Ketchum calls on public officials and law enforcement to immediately recognize the Sasquatch as an indigenous people:

“Genetically, the Sasquatch are a human hybrid with unambiguously modern human maternal ancestry. Government at all levels must recognize them as an indigenous people and immediately protect their human and Constitutional rights against those who would see in their physical and cultural differences a ‘license’ to hunt, trap, or kill them.”

Full details of the study will be presented in the near future when the study manuscript publishes." 

Her "results," then, preceded completion of testing of the samples. This is to include preceding the one that revolutionized the study, the Sierra Kills slab, as well as glossing over the discoveries later made by Richard Stubstad. It is radically coincidental, too much so, that the press release is nearly identical to the prior statement. It does indeed suggest a foregone conclusion, one that in fact matches exactly with what Paulides and Ketchum said at the very start, on Coast to Coast AM, some four years back as I recall. The belief predated the research, and has clearly biased and distorted the interpretation of the data. So, there is no new "news," and the stuff was largely fictional to begin with.

...But really, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. All that happened was that Igor said something, and forced a response from the otherwise clammed-up Ketchum, and Paulides wrote his first blog entry since March 2012. The news? NOTHING. Or, maybe, Igor was acting in COLLUSION with the Ketchum group?
Notice how everyone is trying to insert themselves into the scene before Sykes publishes anything, even if they had no valid samples in any study? They are scrambling for attention and relevance.

Here is part of what David Paulides said, just hours after the supposed "leak" by Burtsev. It sure seems like a prepared statement to me, one prepared in advance...

The DNA Project/Update 

It’s been many months that myself and members of our team have silently watched the progress of our Bigfoot DNA Project under the guidance of Dr. Melba Ketchum. Silence in this research arena tends to push outsiders to make rash and irresponsible comments. In the technology world, silence about projects is routine, expected and is part of the landscape. In the bigfoot world, people in the past have been boisterous with wild claims, accusations and irresponsible behavior the norm. Our group (North America Bigfoot Search) has been trying to live by a different standard, a professional standard that the rest of the world understands and appreciates.

In the last twelve months you have seen a variety of groups suddenly take interest in bigfoot DNA. Where was that interest four years ago when we started our DNA Project? Dr. Jeff Meldrum has gone to Europe with his interest and utilized the resources of Oxford University in an attempt to develop a DNA sequence on Bigfoot. A weekly show about bigfoot also has just recently found an interest in bigfoot DNA and is trying to exploit this avenue, and there are others. There is not one group that has developed the scientific team and the high number of quality specimens to even come close to what North America Bigfoot Search and Dr. Ketchum’s team of esteemed scientists have accomplished.

The public perception of bigfoot, sasquatch and wild men is about to change forever. It has always been our belief that there would come a time when researchers would no longer be calling them animals, apes and human type gorillas, those statements will be reserved for re-runs of your favorite screamers and tree bangers. Yes, you are reading this correctly, times are about to change. I have consistently stated that we are close to a release date. We are very, very close.

Dr. Ketchum and her team of scientists and laboratories have been able to sequence three complete genomes, getting identical results independently verified by different labs. This is not a casual everyday finding, this will cause the scientific community to stand up and take notice. Many people have claimed to know what our results were, nearly everyone was wrong, even some high profile media people that have just recently made comments, all were wrong.

Dr. Ketchum originally found the combination to unlock bigfoot DNA and utilized top scientists in various fields to validate her results. The results were independently verified with the group silently sitting on these findings for months, as the results were validated a third and fourth time. Remember, this isn’t one total genome sequence; it’s three with dozens and dozens of other findings validating the results. The exact number of specimens, the number of mitochondrial results and the specifics of the scientific white paper will be released very, very soon. The paper is very complex and filled with amazing findings. 

...The one person that was able to unlock the safe to understanding bigfoot DNA, Dr. Melba Ketchum. Where every other scientist gave up and claimed contamination, Dr. Ketchum continued to move forward. Where every other scientist was unable to turn the corner, Dr. Ketchum did. This lady did not understand the word “defeat,” she is a true pioneer in her field! 

...David Paulides, Director, North America Bigfoot Search
Friday at 5:41pm 

*******

Here is what Jeff Meldrum had to say about this nonsense:

The press release was frankly premature and unprofessional given the lack of any published reviewed results.It apparently was precipitated by a leak of information that was pubicized. Let's wait and see what the published results will be and how they are to be INTERPRETED.
BTW -- the spokesperson would divulge neither a timeline for publication, nor which journal received the submission.She did however inform us that they were in regular communication (psychic?) with sasquatch, and that they (the sasquatch) were enthusiastic about the study and the press release, and are completely supportive of Melba's project.
[That being the case, one could ask why one or two of them (the sasquatch) doesn't just come forward and hold their own press conference.]

Add to all of this the talk from the horse doctor's own mouth about the Nephilim and some kind of Bigfoot molesting her and, well, you've got a very, very strange brew going on here. They deny the story about "Angel DNA," but...

By "angel" she means the FALLEN ANGELS, basically the "Ancient Alien" theory. Bigfoot are the Nephilim. She has actually SAID this. She has expressed it obliquely in her press release by referring to something "novel" in the DNA. She told Wally and others that the DNA was from "out of this world." Paulides has said that the Bigfoot lineage "STOPS" at some point, and from there there is no precedent in the DNA databases of earthly life. This can only mean one thing: the DNA is alien, or was manipulated by aliens. Say "angels" if you want. This is NOT Science. This is metaphysical lunacy. Much of this was reported by Robert Lindsay, and they called him a nutcase. I'd heard it from utterly reliable sources about a year and a half ago. I was asked at that time not to talk about it. I didn't, until I'd heard multiple other sources of confirmation, such as from the Stubstad/JavaBob connection. Rhettman A Mullis Jr can confirm this--it came right from Ketchum, in her own words, in a four hour phone conversation he had with her. It was a similar situation with the recent news of her thinking she was molested by a Bigfoot that zapped and possibly raped her. SHE said it. It wasn't just some weird gossip meant to disparage her reputation. David Paulides denies "Angel DNA" is in the paper. However, the idea of the Nephilim WAS in the first version of the paper, according to the Stubstad-JavaBob reports. She used the word "angel" in private conversations later. It's a fact, folks... this is what she BELIEVES.

It also shows how belief precedes and conditions reality formation in the human mind. The real question is whether this belief pre-biased the supposed science of this DNA study and paper. It is a deep error to mix science with mythology, legend and religion. There may be truth of a kind in the latter, but the former seeks to discover and prove things that are literally real, not just figuratively so.

And here is a big problem. Ketchum is saying that Bigfoot are a hybrid species formed rather recently by an unknown hominin/primate mating with modern Homo sapiens women. What if the samples she is studying are just the special case, and this unknown progenitor is the real Bigfoot? Hence is created an infinite regress of who begat whom. Also re. status as human, with constitutional and legal rights beyond animal management issues, comes with responsibility: How can we grant such rights and status to a creature that not only disdains law but also human contact, and one that lives essentially as a wild animal does?

LINKS:

Meldrum Speaks Out!

http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.com/2012/11/dr-jeff-meldrum-speaks-out-concerning.html

The Huffington Post Chimes In...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/bigfoot-dna-proves-creature-exists-genetic_n_2199984.html

Like, OMG, the mockery starts...

http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2012/11/like-omg-scientists-have-sequenced-bigfoot-dna/

The problem of hybridization, on Bigfoot Evidence:

http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.com/2012/11/what-it-would-take-to-create-hybrid.html

Reactions from Scientists on Bigfoot Lunch Club...

http://www.bigfootlunchclub.com/2012/11/first-bigfoot-dna-peer-review-results.html

Doubtful News has these views...

http://www.bigfootlunchclub.com/2012/11/doubtful-news-reacts-to-melba-ketchums.html

Robert Lindsay Classics...

http://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/bigfoot-news-thanksgiving-edition-2012/

Also...

The Bigfoot Show did a fabulous new podcast episode on the recent Bigfoot DNA fiasco.

Episode 43 - Deoxyribonucleic Antics: The Revenge - has spliced itself into the very DNA of the internet. Featuring an interview with an honest-to-god expert, Dr. Todd Disotell of Cornell University, the boys venture into the mysterious world of Melba Ketchum and barely make it out in one piece. Get the show via iTunes, Stitcher, or rock the DDL: http://is.gd/bfs043

***

I hear the final death rattle of the Ketchum Project. It's over, folks.