There is some criticism of exactly where this fossil fits on the evolutionary tree with respect to man, but as one report put it, if this species isn’t our great, great… grandmother, it’s definitely a great, great… aunt. One thing isn’t disputed: this and other fossils found at the ancient lake site in Germany are some of the best ever found from the period.
Meet “Ida,” the small “missing link” fossil that’s created a big media splash and will likely continue to make waves among those who study human origins.
In a new book, documentary, and promotional Web site, paleontologist Jorn Hurum, who led the team that analyzed the 47-million-year-old fossil seen above, suggests Ida is a critical “missing link” species in primate evolution.
The fossil, he says, bridges the evolutionary split between higher primates such as monkeys, apes, and humans and their more distant relatives such as lemurs.
“This is the first link to all humans,” Hurum, of the Natural History Museum in Oslo, Norway, said in a statement. Ida represents “the closest thing we can get to a direct ancestor.”
Ida, properly known as Darwinius masillae, has a unique anatomy. The lemur-like skeleton features primate-like characteristics, including grasping hands, opposable thumbs, clawless digits with nails, and relatively short limbs.
#32, Tech_1;
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!!!!
Lots of “See, you’re wrong because my book says so!”
Very little challenging or disproving the evidence.
#32, that ‘article’ is amazing. Its almost as if the author has deliberately gone out of their way to misunderstand EVERYTHING about evolution and its workings.
Of course “evolutionary processes could not account for the universe”.
For that we turn to cosmology and physics, in exactly the same way that we turn to the bible if we want to explain base superstition, stupidity, ignorance and intolerance.
However evolution DOES apply when we look at organic life, and the continuing chain of missing links being discovered is giving us a more and more complete picture of it over time, while simultaneously giving God far fewer places in which to hide.
So some dude found a fossilized rat, and turned it into “the missing link”. Isn’t everything they find, automatically considered a “link” or “proof” of Darwin’s theory? And you never hear about the recants, or mistakes, that screwed up the text books. I’ll bet Piltdown Man is still mentioned in a few in use.
In other news. This item deserve a separate posting here, U.D.
Why don’t they tell us about the missing links before they are found?
Oops! Sorry I forgot about the posting links rule. It use to work with the proxy attached.
BTW, about Evolution. You all should check out Ben Stein’s “Expelled” movie on DVD. Most public libraries probably carry it. Another documentary that got badly treated by the movie distribution industry (Cabal). They loved Al Gore’s crapola-fest, but hated this.
The “slot machine” example alone, is enough to refute the theory. And then they show Richard Dawkins going off the deep end with his “Space Aliens” idea for where life came from, if it couldn’t evolve on earth, from basic chemicals. But the Aliens had to evolved (according to him). Talk about stretching scientific credibility to a thread, to protect Evolution. Darwin never visited any damn alien planets. So he didn’t form his theory based on life on Vulcan or someplace. And he didn’t know a damn thing about DNA at the time (no one did). So the theory has been propped up, in spite of revelation of the discovery of DNA. How utterly complex a gene is. And how astronomical the chances are life sprung from random molecules colliding together.
BTW, Darwin apparently thought human compassion was counter productive and a waste of vital resources. Some humanitarian, he wasn’t. But even Elephants try to protect their weaker or injured comrades. Something Darwin failed to observe on that damn island of birds and lizards. I’ll bet Darwin would have complained if he was kicked out on the street, once he got old and feeble. Not opposed to “help for the sickly” in his case. The utter hypocrisy of atheists is often astounding. They want their “God given rights”, under the law. But screw everyone else for wanting them. The rich and powerful come first.
There’s no stopping you, is there Alfred? For someone who can obviously type and put sentences together (with no logic, mind you) you are incredibly challenged.
Now that we have your attention, please show us your logic about this:
“The model that best explains all things is the Creationist model.”
Thanks.
OK, prove it’s absurd. That’s a really, really simple request.
The bible states we are all from Adam and Eve.
Science says we all have the same MRCA lovingly referred to as Mitochondrial Eve.
Both sides claim the same thing. We are ALL products of inbreeding.
This explains a lot about humans.
Cursor_
#32, I hope you don’t believe the absolute tripe contained within that site. The author quoted Stephen Hawking out of context in an attempt to disprove the big bang theory. He also confirmed the veracity of radioactive decay; How can he explain that decay suggests the planet is billions of years old, not 6000 years old?
Please challenge our beliefs, but first find a site that doesn’t employ circular logic, misattributions, and disinformation.
Alfie, Alfie, Alfie. You are so predictable.
We’re talking about biological systems evolving. But, if you insist, just go take a look at Hawaii as Mauna Loa help the island to keep evolving. It may not make a new NYC but it is changing.
Occam suggested that the simplest explanation is almost always the correct one. So, which is simpler? Biological processes we can observe and measure and even influence if we try, are and have been taking place for millennia OR that a miracle occurred? A miracle that has not been repeated, nor replicated nor documented by any first hand reports. A miracle performed by an unseeable, unobservable, non-communicative supernatural ghost whom we can only understand through the tainted writings of long-dead men whose accounts often contradict one another.
Somehow, I suspect Occam would concur with evolution.
As for your contention the fossil is a fake? I can only reply with laughter. So typical for you to decry the authenticity of something just because it does not fit in with your views. But that seems to be the way of all creationists.
# 35 Glenn E. said, I’ll bet Piltdown Man is still mentioned in a few in use.
Only in Texas and Nebraska.
J/P=?
Quote from Father Niwrad “The evolutionary tree would’ve been a lot shorter if every species practiced abstinence.”
Religion is made up of beliefs and science is facts. Those that have strong beliefs will never be convinced by facts. The trouble is the Bible is nowhere near as old as Ida? I for one think humans need beliefs but we also cannot deny what is put in front of our faces.
we also cannot deny what is put in front of our faces.
Christians like Alfred have no trouble doing it.
That is one incredibly well preserved fossil. She sure looks great for her age.
#9 – Alfred1,
Like so many other “revolutionary finds” its probably a well crafted fake.
Fetched lots of money, fulfilling its purpose.
It obviously isn’t human.
Wow!! You really are stupid. When did anyone claim this was human. It’s a very early primate.
So tell us Alfie, exactly how would you fake this? How many other fakes have their been. Piltdown Man. What else? Neandertal is real. Homo Erectus, Homo Ergaster, Australopithecus Africanus, Australopithecus Afarensis, etc. are all real. Chimpanzees are real. Bonobos are real. Gorillas are real.
Basilosaurus, Ambulocetus, Dinosaurs with feathers, Tiktaalik, all real.
Go ahead alfie, tell us about all the fake fossils in all of the museums of natural history in all the world.
We’ll wait while you debunk the entire fossil record.
#17 – Kanjy,
A nail in the anti-evolution coffin? Hardly. Even if they do acknowledge this as filling in a gap, they’ll just point out that we’ve created two new gaps.
Unfortunately correct. However, the two gaps are smaller than the prior gap. So, the god of the gaps keeps shrinking. This is why intelligent religious individuals reject the god of the gaps philosophy.
Religious induhviduals like alfie on the other hand must keep watching their god shrink little by little.
#36 – MikeN,
Why don’t they tell us about the missing links before they are found?
They did. They told us there would be intermediate species between whales and land mammals before finding basilosaurus and ambulocetus. They told us there would be more fossil humans than simply Homo Erectus, Homo Habilis, Homo Neandertalensis, and Australopithecus Africanus, and then they found, among many others, H. Ergaster, H. Rudolfensis, A. Afarensis, A. Boise, A. Robustus, Ardipithecus, Ramipithecus.
Neil Shubin wanted to find the partially developed limbs that must have existed in some species during the transition from lobe finned fish to land tetrapods. He knew the time frame was about 370-375 million years. He looked for exposed sedimentary rock of the right age, and found Tiktaalik.
We knew that there must have been intermediate stages in the development of feathers. And, lo and behold, we found them in (China? Mongolia? I don’t remember) but found a wealth of fossil dinosaurs with varying stages of feather development between scales and full modern feathers.
Anything else you want cleared up?
#37 – Glenn,
Haven’t we already dealt with the stupidity of Ben Stein?
http://tinyurl.com/pqy3kd
http://expelledexposed.com/
For something to be considered a scientific theory there are specific requirements that have to be met.
Evolution has met those requirements and is considered a scientific theory.
Creationism has NOT met those requirements and is NOT considered a scientific theory.
When something is considered a scientific theory that does not mean it is a Fact. It only implies there is a sufficient range of evidence that supports the theory’s likelihood of being the truth.
Religion is about faith and requires no evidence that it is the truth.
#38 – Alfred1,
#10 The theory of evolution is ludicrous…a clear violation of Okham’s razor.
And the invention of the idea of a god who can go around creating universes at the rate of one a week for whom we have not got even the slighted shred of evidence is a simple explanation to you?
Wow.
#41 – Alfie,
The “I’m rubber; you’re glue” argument? Have you completely run out of brain cells now?
Texas plans to vote if this should be declared evolution or just another lizard.
BTW, here is a case where evolution happened rapidly enough that we witnessed the occurrence in real time.
HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA,HA, HA, HA,HA, HA, HA,HA, HA, HA,HA, HA, HA,HA, HA, HA,HA, HA, HA
You are so full of it, you must really hate God to be so focused on this…I’ll pray for many God fearing experiences for you…you’re too foolish to listen but like I always say..
Whatever……….
Traaxx
# 64:
What does believing in a scientific process have to do with hating God?
There are many religions with conflicting dogma. The fact that someone doesn’t believe the dogma someone is pimping doesn’t say anything about there belief in God.
In America anyone can pimp any religious dogma they want. And anyone else can call it Bull Sh** and not follow it. That’s what’s great about America.
Who gives a flying F&*^& where we came from. Its not going to change where we’re headed ;).
The Bible was written by men who interpreted dreams as a form of holy communication from the Creator of the universe.
I’ll go out on a limb here and predict that scientists will someday find an alternative explanation 😉
#50 – And Kansas or course.