If this had been published in that august journal, The Onion, it would have fitted right in. It would certainly make more sense if today was April 1. I mean, really (& hat-tip, as usual, to PZ)…
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.
What should we make of this? Surely it screams ‘lab contamination’, particularly given that the purported Sasquatch has 100% human mtDNA but a real mishmash of supposed nuclear DNA..But also, methinks that someone has been reading altogether too much of the works of Danny Vendramini.
But also: apparently the nuclear DNA includes ‘non-ape’ sequences. The DNA sample supposedly came from – wait for it – a blueberry bagel from someone’s backyard.
Actually, I find it hard to believe that anyone working in science could seriously suggest a blueberry bagel as a reliable source of Bigfoot DNA. The word ‘hoax’ springs to mind (&, I’m glad to see, it’s not only my mind that the idea is bouncing around in.)