"Darwinism is not a testable scientific theory, but a metaphysical research programme." -- Karl Popper, philosopher, 1976
National Geographic: Oldest "Human" Skeleton Found--Disproves "Missing Link.
Scientists today announced the discovery of the oldest fossil skeleton of a human ancestor. The find reveals that our forebears underwent a previously unknown stage of evolution more than a million years before Lucy, the iconic early human ancestor specimen that walked the Earth 3.2 million years ago.
The centerpiece of a treasure trove of new fossils, the skeleton—assigned to a species called Ardipithecus ramidus—belonged to a small-brained, 110-pound (50-kilogram) female nicknamed "Ardi." (See pictures of Ardipithecus ramidus.)
The fossil puts to rest the notion, popular since Darwin's time, that a chimpanzee-like missing link—resembling something between humans and today's apes—would eventually be found at the root of the human family tree. Indeed, the new evidence suggests that the study of chimpanzee anatomy and behavior—long used to infer the nature of the earliest human ancestors—is largely irrelevant to understanding our beginnings.
-759725.jpg){kind=link}
16 comments:
PZ Myers predicted earlier today that this story would bring the nutcases out. I should have bet money that you'd post this one.
Your headline is inaccurate in the extreme. You should change it before you look like an even bigger tool than you are.
Do you still believe in the so-called "Missing Link" Jeffery?
OIM,
and the article, in the very next paragraph, goes on to state:
Ardi instead shows an unexpected mix of advanced characteristics and of primitive traits seen in much older apes that were unlike chimps or gorillas (interactive: Ardi's key features). As such, the skeleton offers a window on what the last common ancestor of humans and living apes might have been like.
What is the last sentence mean to you?
Interesting article.
OIM is probably thinking of modern apes.
OIM is probably not thinking.
Fixed that for you.
Do you still believe in the so-called "Missing Link" Jeffery?
There's no such thing. All fossils are links between animals before and after them.
The word you are searching for is "transitional fossil." And belief is not required. Evolution is a historic fact. It's not a matter of faith. It happened -- we're apes. End of story, unless you have further mischaracterizations to vomit up...
Jeffery,
"All fossils are links between animals before and after them."
What animals are fossil octopuses, sphenodons, sharks, echinoids, archaea, and cyanobacteria the link between?
Also, Oils, I'd love to stay and dismantle your childish troll attempt, but Season 2 of Clone Wars is on in like 10 minutes. There's more science in 1 hour of that show than a year of your Expanding Earth, Electric Universe and "DUR VENUS WAZ A KOMIT HURR" that we get around here.
PS Just saw Zombieland. All of you! Drop your mouse and go see it.
Clone Wars is just more evidence of ancient technology and extraterrestrial astronauts.
LOL.
@ OilIsMastery:
Seems Man's ideas are constantly running into the harsh light of observation & measurement...no matter how Man comes to be on this planet.
New Scientist magazine has published an article recently that reports a scientific paper that throws the whole so-called "dark" matter hypothesis into doubt.
New Scientist, Space
Galaxy study hints at cracks in dark matter theories, 30 September 2009 by Stuart Clark
"Dark matter is either weirder than we thought or does not exist at all, a new study suggests."
"Since dark matter does not radiate light, astronomers infer its distribution by looking at how a galaxy's gas and stars are moving. Previous studies have suggested that dark matter must be uniformly distributed within a galaxy's central region – a confounding result since the dark matter's gravity should make it progressively denser towards a galaxy's centre."
"Now, the tale has taken a deeper turn into the unknown, thanks to an analysis of the normal matter at the centres of 28 galaxies of all shapes and sizes. The study shows that there is always five times more dark matter than normal matter where the dark matter density has dropped to one-quarter of its central value."
"The finding goes against expectations because the ratio of dark to normal matter should depend on the galaxy's history – for example, whether it has merged with another galaxy or remained isolated during its entire existence. Mergers should skew the ratio of dark to normal matter on an individual basis."
And the backbreaker quote:
"There is absolutely no rule in physics that explains these results," says study co-author Hong Sheng Zhao of the University of St Andrews in the UK."
Readers, I suggest you review the comment section...interesting to say the least.
So-called "dark" matter:
More like dead meat!
Man's ideas are constantly evolving because reality does not bend or change just because Man is invested in a particular idea or concept.
OIM
Why are there no books before byblos?
Were they not needed?
If so, why?
Just non sense, not nonsense!
Anaconda,
Great post.
Fungus,
I assume by "byblos" you mean papyrus?
That is an interesting question and we are fortunate to have had Sonchis of Sais, Solon, and Plato to provide us with the answer.
"... just when you and other nations are beginning to be provided with letters and the other requisites of civilized life, after the usual interval, the stream from heaven, like a pestilence, comes pouring down, and leaves only those of you who are destitute of letters and education; and so you have to begin all over again like children, and know nothing of what happened in ancient times, either among us or among yourselves." -- Sonchis of Sais, priest, ~594 B.C.
OIM,
The usual interval. Threatening, isn't it?
There are many now who are functionally illiterate, but we have such vast numbers and albeit badly digested, much knowledge, that perhaps this time more culture will survive?
Some of the machinations of the oil based powers may be to that end. The USAF do not follow dogma, they use tech and have clearly discovered many EM truths. The internet, a (D)ARPA project, has been successful. Will optronics harden it enough to survive or must we retreat to caves again?
I hope I do not spook the children with this! And thanks for the opportunity.
I know ALL about the impact "Ardi" had on the Scientific Community!
Actually, Genetics proves Evolution on ALL levels: be it Natural Selection/Macro-evolution, Lamarckism/epigenetics, etc. I'm sorry but Evolutionary theory has been proven through the works of countless geneticists and Evolutionary Biologists.
Those who claim evolution is fictitious, must NOT understand Evolutionary theory at all!
Jeffery- Correction: We are NOT "apes," we are Hominidae. "Apes," is such an arcane term, that I request that you use either "primate" or "Hominid," when discussing Human evolution.
Post a Comment