Dr. Jeff Meldrum Responds to Melba Ketchum's TV Interview

Dr. Jeff Meldrum holding a possible Bigfoot Cast

"Please don't get me wrong. I truly hope she has the brass ring. I want very much for her study to be legitimate and significant." --Dr. Jeff Meldrum on the Dr. Melba Ketchum Bigfoot DNA study

Dr. Jeff Meldrum is the highest profile scientist and academic when it comes to Bigfoot research, he is an Associate Professor of Anatomy and Anthropology and Adjunct Associate Professor of the Department of Anthropology at Idaho State University. His book, a companion to the Documentary of the same name, "Sasquatch Legend meets Science," is a must have in any serious bigfooters library.

Believers and skeptics alike respect Dr. Meldrum's approach to the Bigfoot phenomena. Notable skeptic Brian Dunning has been quoted as saying, "The work of responsible scientists like Dr. Meldrum is exactly what true skeptics should be asking the Bigfoot community for, not criticizing him for it." 

Due to his credentials and popularity Dr. Meldrum has been showcased on maultiple networks including NatGeo, History Channel, and the Discovery Channel, this also includes TV shows including Monster Quest and the recent Finding Bigfoot. 

He is also involved in a parallel study of Bigfoot DNA. The study headed by Bryan Sykes of Oxford University.

Recently Melba Ketchum has been in the spotlight due to her press release that claims Bigfoot may be part Human. Two days ago (11/27/2012) Dr. Melba Ketchum was interviewed and Dr. Jeff Meldrum commented on the interview on his Facebook Page. You can read his response right after the video below.

And Dr. Meldrum's response.

Dr. Ketchum provides a much more reasonable interview for a Houston news program. She acknowledges the prematurity of the announcement (I believe she could have stopped short of discussing her unpublished results, however). She does conclude by saying the publication is anticipated in a matter of weeks not months (we've heard that before, but I hope this time it is indeed accurate).
Please don't get me wrong. I truly hope she has the brass ring. I want very much for her study to be legitimate and significant. To that end I want to see her navigate the publication process properly and successfully!

My criticisms stem from the lack of available substantiation of her interpretation of the mtDNA results and the difficulty I have envisioning a scenario that accounts from what is proposed -- a hybridization event 15000 years ago in Eastern Europe that resulted in a population dispersed across North America.

Many people don't seem to understand the role of a null hypothesis (a working hypothesis). The aim is to attempt to falsify or refute it. The hypothesis that whatever is out there is likely a relict ape, or a relict early hominin (e.g. Paranthropus) appears the most reasonable in light of the substantive objective data (personal subjective experiences by some, notwithstanding). Melba even acknowledges this fact in her interview. If evidence, properly interpreted, overwhelmingly negates the null hypothesis, then we set it aside -- simple as that. The notion of "camps" as if they were political parties, has no legitimate place in a scientific endeavor.

I am anxious to see the results -- whatever they are! 

A Journalist Gets Melba Ketchum to Comment on Bigfoot DNA

Dr. Melba Ketchum working on DNA

"...weeks instead of many months, that’s for sure.” --Melba Ketchum on how soon her Bigfoot DNA results will be public

Apparently earlier this week (Monday November 26th, 2012) Scott Sandsburry of the Yakima Herald contacted Melba Ketchum and got her to comment on the 50-page manuscript that has documented her study and, as she claims, supports the idea that Bigfoot is part human.

The excerpt below contains just the quotes from Melba Ketchum.

Reached on telephone Monday, Ketchum said the 50-page manuscript containing the research and DNA findings is still in peer review at a scientific journal. As for whether the premature announcement would impact that, she said, “I hope not. So far we haven’t heard anything that says it’s going to stop it.” As for when the study might become public, she said, “in weeks instead of many months, that’s for sure.”

Ketchum said the study had sequenced “three complete Sasquatch nuclear genomes” and determined the species is a human hybrid — “the result of males of an unknown hominin species crossing with female Homo sapiens.”

Sasquatch nuclear DNA, Ketchum said, “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 (member of the genus Homo, including Homo sapiens), and non-ape sequences. We describe it as a mosaic of human and novel non-human sequence.”

The article does contain further quotes from Melba Ketchum's surrogates.  One in particular is a quote from Thom Cantrall.

The release of Ketchum’s findings, Cantrall said, is “igniting a war” among different factions in the Bigfoot-believing community — those adamant that the creature is an ape or gorilla, and those who are convinced it’s more human than not.

We can report that there is no war. The debate Cantrall is referring to is less about Bigfoot and more about whether the Bigfoot community accepts that humans are also apes. In other words, humans are apes and most likely Bigfoots are apes too.

You can read the entire article at the Yakima Herald

There is also a video interview done by a local Texas news station here.

Happy Birthday to Finding Bigfoot's Cliff Barackman Pt.1

Happy Birthday Cliff!!!

In celebration of Cliff Barackman's Birthday, we are showcasing the behind-the-scenes videos he created with Craig Flipy for most of  Season One of Finding Bigfoot. Watch each video after the episode summary.

"Bigfoot Crossing in Georgia [1]" May 29, 2011
The team, in their first episode, are in northern Georgia investigating cases with Bigfoot. One thing they investigate is what a police officer believes to be a Bigfoot running across a road. Also, Cliff and Ranae find two possible footprints, and the Georgia chapter of the BFRO is called on to help a search.



"Swamp Ape [2]" June 5, 2011
The team visits Northern Florida investigating some mysterious cases with the Florida subspecies of Bigfoot, the Swamp Ape or Skunk Ape. They investigate a case about a couple that believes there is a Bigfoot living on their property and is bothering them. Also, the team talks with the Seminole people, asking about some experiences some members of the tribe have had with Bigfoot, and Matt and Bobo see a strange figure in the distance on a search.
NO VIDEO FOR FLORIDA :(


"Caught on Tape [3]" June 12, 2011
The team travels to North Carolina, specifically the Uwharrie National Forest to investigate supposed Bigfoot sightings. Also, Matt's leadership skills are called into question, and the largest search for Bigfoot ever is organized.



"Fishing for Bigfoot in Oregon [4]" June 19, 2011
The team travels to Oregon the investigate multiple cases with sightings of Bigfoot. A group of rafters accidentally capture a video supposedly having a Bigfoot in it. Also, the team makes its first visit to Bigfoot and Beer, and then use a rabbit to try and lure out a sasquatch.



"Frozen Bigfoot [5]" June 26, 2011
The team heads to southern Washington to investigate cases involving Bigfoot encounters. One man caught a picture with an animal that may be a Bigfoot that is on a snowcapped mountain. Also, Matt and Bobo claim to hear what sounded like human voices during a night investigation, and Cliff and Ranae ride in a small raft to see if they can see a Bigfoot.



"Alaska's Bigfoot Island [6]" July 10, 2011
The team heads to southeast Alaska because the mayor of the town of Hydaburg asks them to investigate compelling footprint photos . Also, Ranae and Bobo find a possible footprint, and talk with a woman who claims to have had a log thrown thrown at her taxi and spotted a Sasquatch in a tree the next day.



"Behind the Search [7]" July 17, 2011
The team returns to a gathering in Oregon at Ike's Pizza, called "Bigfoot and Beer" to talk personally to fans. The team talks about their excursions to find Bigfoot and reflect on them, answer questions from their fans, and play footage that was not aired on previous episodes.


If you enjoyed these Finding Bigfoot Season 1 debriefs check out, "Happy Birthday to Finding Bigfoot's Cliff Barackman Pt.2" for Finding Bigfoot Season 2 debriefs!