Asia the home of primate ancestors

The Times of London ^ | March 15, 2002 | By Mark Henderson

[Map Kernow]

THE deepest roots of the human family tree may not lie in Africa, where modern man is known to have evolved, but in Asia, scientists have found.

The origins of the first primates — the mammalian order to which mankind belongs — have been traced to Asia by American, Chinese and Japanese researchers.

Investigations at a fossil bed known as the Lingcha Formation, in South China, and comparisons with similar sites in Europe and North America have revealed that several orders of mammals have a much more ancient lineage in Asia than on the other continents, according to a study in the journal Science today.

As well as the primates, hooved mammals such as the artiodactyls (which include sheep, cows and deer) and the perissodactyls, (horses, rhinos and tapirs), and an extinct family of dog-like predators probably all evolved in Asia, the scientists found. They developed 55 million years ago, during a period of abrupt global warming.

[Map Kernow]

Ex oriente lux. Et homo.

[Map Kernow]

PING

[leadhead]

This is going to upset the "diversity" pimps and their school book cronies who have been extolling the Africa origin of the species.

I can hear it now..."You stole mathmatics from us, you stole flying from us, now you steal origin from us.." and on and on and on

[Map Kernow]

An anthropologist named Wolpoff has maintained for years a theory of human origins called the "multiregional origins" theory, in opposition to the "out of Africa" hypothesis. I'm not saying there isn't evidence to support the latter theory, but I think there's also pressure which I can only describe as "political" for anthropologists to validate it as well. This latest report should bolster Wolpoff's position.

[blam]

"This latest report should bolster Wolpoff's position."

IMO, Wolpoff is correct and most of the recent published data and opinions have 'pretty much' supported his position, 'Multiregionalism.'

[RightWhale]

The rest of the animal kingdom presumedly evolved at the same time as the ape lines, so it might be of value to trace other species as well. Especially the mammals that migrated to North America since 55 million years ago.

[blam]

"The rest of the animal kingdom presumedly evolved at the same time as the ape lines, so it might be of value to trace other species as well."

Maybe, 'mans best friend,' the dog. I've read studies (DNA) that indicate the domesticated dog was 'tamed' from the wolf at least four different times and as long ago as 14k years. (I suspect longer.)

[Bob J]

Radio Free Republic Presents

The Banana Republican Hour

With your host Luis Gonzalez

This week’s guest:

Brothers to the Rescue founder, José Basulto

---

On February 24, 1996, three light aircraft left Miami on a routine flight. Their missions, to search the waters off the Florida Coast for rafters trying to reach the US shores, and bring them help by guiding the US Coast Guard to their location. That day in February, only one plane would return to its home base in Miami.

Tune in to Radio FreeRepublic this Thursday, March 14, at 9 PM EST, and listen to the actual sounds of a terrorist in action, murdering unarmed American citizens.

Sr. José Basulto, founder of Brothers to the Rescue and pilot of the surviving Cessna, will shed light on the events of that day, and detail how the Clinton administration withheld advanced knowledge of the attack from the humanitarian volunteer group, helping seal the fate of these four courageous flyers.

Radio FreeRepublic, fearless talk radio.

Click on Banner to hear broadcast of Show Thursday, March 14, at 9PM EST/6PM PST


RadioFR Every Thursday at 9PM EST/6PM PST

RadioFR Archives, Hear the shows you missed

[blam]

Dixie Dingo"

[Cool Guy]

Thanks for the post.

[blam]

"Thanks for the post."

Dang, Cool Guy. Where have you been? I haven't seen your name in a long time.

[farmfriend]

Thanks for the ping.

[Cool Guy]

I am hanging around in lurk mode, reading FR everyday. Thanks for all the good articles you post here.

[RightWhale]

There used to be horses in America, 300,000 years ago. That is recent compared to 55 million years, but early man might have followed the herds, horses and game animals as they migrated from Asia. Maybe man drove them over here.

[SunkenCiv]

About 30 years ago a book The Descent of Woman by the following author failed to make a case against the savannah theory of hominid evolution. The book linked below continues that struggle. The Aquatic Ape theory is at least somewhat respectible now, but there's so much in the way of politics involved that I can't get fired up about it. The info about the baboon virus was in this book (previously I'd been unaware of it). Quote follows the URL.

The Scars of Evolution
by Elaine Morgan

"The most remarkable aspect of Todaro's discovery emerged when he examined Homo Sapiens for the 'baboon marker'. It was not there... Todaro drew one firm conclusion. 'The ancestors of man did not develop in a geographical area where they would have been in contact with the baboon. I would argue that the data we are presenting imply a non-African origin of man millions of years ago.'"

Morgan obviously uses this to buttress her Aquatic Ape theory, since the area where (in her view) hominids turned to Homo Sapiens was in a supposedly isolated chunk of eastern Africa, temporarily separated from the mainland by open water. It was a nice safe place, free of predators, and the hominids just lucked out when the land split.

Without a catastrophic split, such a paradise is untenable. And probably is anyway. But this point about the virus is worth pondering.

[SunkenCiv]

Just updating the GGG information, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[SunkenCiv]

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·
	Gods Graves Glyphs	Note: this topic is from March 14, 2002. The origins of the first primates -- the mammalian order to which mankind belongs -- have been traced to Asia by American, Chinese and Japanese researchers. Investigations at a fossil bed known as the Lingcha Formation, in South China, and comparisons with similar sites in Europe and North America have revealed that several orders of mammals have a much more ancient lineage in Asia than on the other continents, according to a study in the journal Science today. As well as the primates, hooved mammals such as the artiodactyls (which include sheep, cows and deer) and the perissodactyls, (horses, rhinos and tapirs), and an extinct family of dog-like predators probably all evolved in Asia, the scientists found. They developed 55 million years ago, during a period of abrupt global warming. I was just doing some sort work on the "homoerectus" and "anthropology" keywords, and this old topic reemerged. :') Just an update to the GGG info. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
·Dogpile · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society · · Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google · · The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·