Oldest "Human" Skeleton Found--Disproves "Missing Link"

**Flangenimblick**

Quote:

Oldest "Human" Skeleton Found--Disproves "Missing Link"
Jamie Shreeve
Science editor, National Geographic magazine
October 1, 2009

Move over, Lucy. And kiss the missing link goodbye.

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.

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.

Announced at joint press conferences in Washington, D.C., and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the analysis of the Ardipithecus ramidus bones will be published in a collection of papers tomorrow in a special edition of the journal Science, along with an avalanche of supporting materials published online.

"This find is far more important than Lucy," said Alan Walker, a paleontologist from Pennsylvania State University who was not part of the research. "It shows that the last common ancestor with chimps didn't look like a chimp, or a human, or some funny thing in between." (Related: "Oldest Homo Sapiens Fossils Found, Experts Say" [June 11, 2003].)

The Link

**TsvitokSoldat**

Oh great, now the creationist nut jobs will come out of the woodworks again.

Not that they disappeared, but they seem to enjoy this kind of thing, its like their woodstock.

_________________
"Embold my vision with clarity,
An artist poetic in eternity,
Please blind me so I may see,
For blindness is my sanctity."
~the Artist

"Perfection in the gears aline,
No victim of the march of time,
No need for rhythm and or rhyme,
As in mechanics is all that's fine"
~the Mechanist

**Flangenimblick**

Indeed. That being said, I'd love to get check out the Creation Museum one day, could be good for a laff.

Steamhat · Posts: 51 Join date: 2009-09-25 Age: 18 Country: ZA

It's a Dinosaur with a Saddle... Wow...

and for those that will not remember that reference, onto the constructive addition

Well... alright, all of a sudden there is no missing link, but an ancestor of humans was discovered that isn't exactly human...
how can a creationist twist this into WE HAVE BEEN HUMAN SINCE OUR SPONTANEOUS REALIZATION OF BEING...?

**TsvitokSoldat**

Because thats what Creationists do best. They've been trying to combat evolution forever.

I remember once having a "discussion" with a creationist about this very subject and her acclaimed the fossil evidence was probably just humans doing it with apes...

They defy logic and reasoning.

_________________
"Embold my vision with clarity,
An artist poetic in eternity,
Please blind me so I may see,
For blindness is my sanctity."
~the Artist

"Perfection in the gears aline,
No victim of the march of time,
No need for rhythm and or rhyme,
As in mechanics is all that's fine"
~the Mechanist

Steamhat · Posts: 51 Join date: 2009-09-25 Age: 18 Country: ZA

The point is that this thing isn't human, it's taking away the connection to apes for modern humans... but it's still an undeveloped human
meaning we evolved... so what... creationist adopt a counter-evolutionary theory

"no humans didn't evolve from apes but they did develope genetically and evolve over time..."
isn't that hypocrisy or something...
meh, as long as i get no hate mail personally i'll leave this poo-flinging competition for the evangelical creationists and the scientists that still are happy to provoke them...

Dairyllama · Posts: 12 Join date: 2009-09-22 Age: 24

We can't simply leave it to the evangelical creationists. Have you forgotten how many people in the USA subscribe to that nonsense, and how many nukes they have? Disaster seldom happens singularly, and it usually happens at the hands of scared idiots.

_________________
Impediments to Knowledge:

Too great a dependence on authority;
Allowing too great weight to custom;
Fear of offending the vulgar;
The affectation of concealing ignorance by the display of a specious appearance of knowledge.

**Flangenimblick**

I love how the thread FOR evolution suddenly gets hi-jacked by people bitching about people who are anti-evolution. lol

Steamhat · Posts: 51 Join date: 2009-09-25 Age: 18 Country: ZA

good point.... am sure liking these opposable thumbs... aren't you?
mmmm...
(creationists can convince me that we descended from two perfect beings (and then again by the Noah family) right after they explain where Cain and Abel's partner came from... unless it really was their sister... cause that makes it okay.... Razz

)
(okay, i'll stop now...)

Baynachew

hmmmm we where actually talking about this on monday
by the way, smoking hubbly with no thumbs NOT A GOOD IDEA
for the silly evangelicals:
apparently one of the his people god botherers was shut down really really badly during sci fest. soon they will realise that their foolishness will come to an end.
and when it does, i will stand there and laugh

**Flangenimblick**

People, I know this forum is very liberal and we haz free speech and all that, but try to keep the comments tasteful and respectful to some degree.

Baynachew

they are watching you

Armour · Posts: 77 Join date: 2009-09-16 Age: 23 Country: Innerspace

Edit: deleted for double-posting.

_________________
Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil.

Armour · Posts: 77 Join date: 2009-09-16 Age: 23 Country: Innerspace

I am amazed at how some people posting in this thread completely failed to actually read the opening post.

A skeleton was found. Its of a pre-human species which has not been found before. Its characteristics suggest that the evolutionary path of humans does not come from the chimpanzee family, but rather the "great apes" and thus, the "Missing Link" theory is incorrect.

Nowhere was it even suggested that creationists were angry about this or using it to try and put forth any agenda. You started ranting about it yourselves. I lol at your devout-ness.

_________________
Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil.

Baynachew

lol i know, it was just funny reading the last few posts, its good to know tho. *note to former self*