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Skull discovery could fill origins gap
Yahoo (Reuters) ^ | Fri Mar 24, 11:02 AM ET

Posted on 03/24/2006 11:47:46 AM PST by The_Victor

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - A hominid skull discovered in Ethiopia could fill the gap in the search for the origins of the human race, a scientist said on Friday.

The cranium, found near the city of Gawis, 500 km (300 miles) southeast of the capital Addis Ababa, is estimated to be 200,000 to 500,000 years old.

The skull appeared "to be intermediate between the earlier Homo erectus and the later Homo sapiens," Sileshi Semaw, an Ethiopian research scientist at the Stone Age Institute at Indiana University, told a news conference in Addis Ababa.

It was discovered two months ago in a small gully at the Gawis river drainage basin in Ethiopia's Afar region, southeast of the capital.

Sileshi said significant archaeological collections of stone tools and numerous fossil animals were also found at Gawis.

"(It) opens a window into an intriguing and important period in the development of modern humans," Sileshi said.

Over the last 50 years, Ethiopia has been a hot bed for archaeological discoveries.

Hadar, located near Gawis, is where in 1974 U.S. scientist Donald Johnson found the 3.2 million year old remains of "Lucy," described by scientists as one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the world.

Lucy is Ethiopia's world-acclaimed archaeological find. The discovery of the almost complete hominid skeleton was a landmark in the search for the origins of humanity.

On the shores of what was formerly a lake in 1967, two Homo sapien skulls dating back 195,000 years were unearthed. The discovery pushed back the known date of mankind, suggesting that modern man and his older precursor existed side by side.

Sileshi said while different from a modern human, the braincase, upper face and jaw of the cranium have unmistakeable anatomical evidence that belong to human ancestry.

"The Gawis cranium provides us with the opportunity to look at the face of one of our ancestors," he added.


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: crevolist; godsgravesglyphs; missinglink; origins; stillmissing
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To: gobucks

People who slept through all their science classes alert.


21 posted on 03/24/2006 12:14:44 PM PST by blowfish
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To: The_Victor

Everythng was fine in evolution until all these little gaps showed up, so it was downsized to microevolution. If they keep creating gaps like this they will end up at nanoevolution soon enough.


22 posted on 03/24/2006 12:19:31 PM PST by RightWhale (pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
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To: PatrickHenry

It's amazing how many Luddites show up just to ignore the evidence.


23 posted on 03/24/2006 12:20:11 PM PST by Junior (Identical fecal matter, alternate diurnal period)
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To: The_Victor

That does it. I am getting cremated. I do not want someone digging me up in 100,000 years and calling me a homo.


24 posted on 03/24/2006 12:20:42 PM PST by microgood
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To: The_Victor

Hey Darwin ..your paleo proctologist called...

He found your head....


25 posted on 03/24/2006 12:21:58 PM PST by joesnuffy
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To: The_Victor

every time a scientists says "this proves we were wrong..." Science advances a bit. In this case I think it is more like "We were unclear about this spot - now we are less clear".


26 posted on 03/24/2006 12:22:33 PM PST by epluribus_2
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To: The_Victor

I wish you'd leave grandpa's grave alone, huh?

27 posted on 03/24/2006 12:23:48 PM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (NYT Headline: 'Protocols of the Learned Elders of CBS: Fake But Accurate, Experts Say.')
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To: microgood
That does it. I am getting cremated. I do not want someone digging me up in 100,000 years and calling me a homo.

Now that's cute!

28 posted on 03/24/2006 12:24:54 PM PST by Coyoteman (I love the sound of beta decay in the morning!)
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To: The_Victor

every time a scientists says "this proves we were wrong..." Science advances a bit. In this case I think it is more like "We were unclear about this spot - now we are less UNclear".

Been a long week.


29 posted on 03/24/2006 12:25:20 PM PST by epluribus_2
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To: The_Victor
"Stone Age Institute at Indiana University,"

....But just an suburban location for

"The World Wide ARAB Institute For Furthering SHARIA law????"....LOL..

30 posted on 03/24/2006 12:25:43 PM PST by litehaus
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To: The_Victor

"Skull discovery could fill origins gap"

The gap is bigger than you think.


31 posted on 03/24/2006 12:26:41 PM PST by RoadTest ("- - a popular government cannot flourish without virtue in the people." - Richard Henry Lee, 1786)
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To: RoadTest

How large is this gap, and how do you know this information?


32 posted on 03/24/2006 12:28:08 PM PST by Dimensio (http://angryflower.com/bobsqu.gif <-- required reading before you use your next apostrophe!)
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To: Coyoteman; editor-surveyor; Ultra Sonic 007
I wonder what these people would think if they found skeletons of Andre the Giant (a head three times the size of a normal man, weighs over 400 pounds, with hands so large that they encompass an entire beer can), Shaquille O'Neal (7'+), and Warwick Davis (Willow movie Dwarf) all from the same carbon dating period.

Would these scientists describe three DIFFERENT species? Of course they would! And it would ALSO be ridiculous.

33 posted on 03/24/2006 12:34:14 PM PST by ImaGraftedBranch ("Toleration" has never been affiliated with the virtuous. Think about it.)
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To: ImaGraftedBranch
I wonder what these people would think if they found skeletons of Andre the Giant (a head three times the size of a normal man, weighs over 400 pounds, with hands so large that they encompass an entire beer can), Shaquille O'Neal (7'+), and Warwick Davis (Willow movie Dwarf) all from the same carbon dating period.

Would these scientists describe three DIFFERENT species? Of course they would! And it would ALSO be ridiculous.

With skeletal material scientists tend to look at morphology, rather than size. Little things, like dental morphology, can tell you a lot. The position of the foramen magnum can provide good information on posture and locomotion.

Really, there is a lot of science involved in this. (I do skeletal analysis as part of my work as an archaeologist.)

34 posted on 03/24/2006 12:38:08 PM PST by Coyoteman (I love the sound of beta decay in the morning!)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets
>>>I wish you'd leave grandpa's grave alone, huh?<<<

Grapa died after eating roast duck with mango salsa!

35 posted on 03/24/2006 12:40:28 PM PST by HardStarboard
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To: Coyoteman

> I do skeletal analysis as part of my work as an archaeologist.

Ah. So you admit to being a biased scientist, just out looking to grub up government grants! Your opinions should be ignored.

(...says the aerospace engineer working for a NASA contractor)


36 posted on 03/24/2006 12:41:05 PM PST by orionblamblam (A furore Normannorum libra nos, Domine)
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To: ImaGraftedBranch

"Would these scientists describe three DIFFERENT species?"

No.

"all from the same carbon dating period."

Carbon dating wasn't used here.


37 posted on 03/24/2006 12:43:13 PM PST by CarolinaGuitarman ("There is grandeur in this view of life...")
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To: orionblamblam
says the aerospace engineer working for a NASA contractor

If you're at work, (on our dime,) and you're goofing off playing on FR, than "get back to work."

Says the on duty USPS guy

38 posted on 03/24/2006 12:44:55 PM PST by ASA Vet (Condi would be a coup in the NFL)
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To: CarolinaGuitarman

If I could be in a line of work where I could provide an answer such as "anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 years old" in response to a question like "how old is this skeleton," and GET PAID for that answer, I would have a much less stressful life.
Sheesh.


39 posted on 03/24/2006 12:47:56 PM PST by ImaGraftedBranch ("Toleration" has never been affiliated with the virtuous. Think about it.)
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To: ImaGraftedBranch
If I could be in a line of work where I could provide an answer such as "anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 years old" in response to a question like "how old is this skeleton," and GET PAID for that answer, I would have a much less stressful life.

I do not believe that you are aware of the research and testing required before such a determiniation can be made, in addition to the education regarding the testing methodology.
40 posted on 03/24/2006 12:50:02 PM PST by Dimensio (http://angryflower.com/bobsqu.gif <-- required reading before you use your next apostrophe!)
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