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Prehistoric pelvis offers clues to human development
Eurekalert! ^
| Thursday, November 13, 2008
| Sileshi Semaw, Scott Simpson, Jay Quade, Naomi Levin, Robert Butler, & Guillaume Dupont-Nivet
Posted on 11/14/2008 5:19:53 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Discovery of the most intact female pelvis of Homo erectus may cause scientists to reevaluate how early humans evolved to successfully birth larger-brained babies... A reconstruction of the 1.2 million-year-old pelvis discovered in 2001 in the Gona Study Area at Afar, Ethiopia, that has led researchers to speculate early man was better equipped than first thought to produce larger-brained babies. The actual fossils remain in Ethiopia... Reconstructing pelvis bone fragments from the 1.2 million-year-old adult female, Semaw and his co-workers determined the early ancestor's birth canal was more than 30 percent larger than earlier estimates based on a 1.5-million-year-old juvenile male pelvis found in Kenya. The new female fragments were discovered in the Gona Study Area in Afar, Ethiopia, in 2001 and excavation was completed in 2003. Scientists also were intrigued by other unique attributes of the specimen, such as its shorter stature and broader body shape more likely seen in hominids adapted to temperate climates, rather than the tall and narrow body believed to have been efficient for endurance running. Early humans became taller and narrower over time, scientists believe, partly due to long distance running and to help them maintain a constant body temperature. One consequence, however, is that a narrower pelvis would have been less accommodating to producing larger-brained offspring. But rather than a tall, narrow hominid with the expected slight pelvic region, Semaw and the Gona researchers found evidence of a hominid ready to produce offspring with a much larger brain size... Scientists studying early man predominantly find fragments of craniums and dental remains, while fossil bones from the neck down are rarely discovered. Even more difficult to verify are Homo erectus fossil bones that can be identified as those belonging to a female.
(Excerpt) Read more at eurekalert.org ...
TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs
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A reconstruction of the 1.2 million-year-old pelvis discovered in 2001 in the Gona Study Area at Afar, Ethiopia, that has led researchers to speculate early man was better equipped than first thought to produce larger-brained babies. The actual fossils remain in Ethiopia. [Scott W. Simpson, Case Western Reserve University]
1
posted on
11/14/2008 5:19:53 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...
2
posted on
11/14/2008 5:20:12 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, October 11, 2008 !!!)
To: SunkenCiv
Gee Sunk ... the title just about says how, doesn't it?
I mean, the only developement I know of started there ....
3
posted on
11/14/2008 5:39:31 PM PST
by
knarf
(I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
To: knarf
In another amazing discovery, archeologists uncovered this t-shirt believed to be from the same era:
4
posted on
11/14/2008 5:41:57 PM PST
by
COBOL2Java
(Obama: Satan's Counterfeit Christ)
To: SunkenCiv
5
posted on
11/14/2008 5:45:01 PM PST
by
GOP Poet
To: SunkenCiv
Early humans became taller and narrower over time, scientists believe, partly due to long distance running and to help them maintain a constant body temperature. :( I'm not sure who or what is responsible for this mess, but it was almost painful to read it.
6
posted on
11/14/2008 5:48:09 PM PST
by
GoLightly
(Hey, Obama. When's my check going to get here?)
To: SunkenCiv
Are they sure it wasn't an Elvis pelvis?
7
posted on
11/14/2008 5:48:15 PM PST
by
Daffynition
("A gov't big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.)
To: Daffynition; SunkenCiv
Sorry
8
posted on
11/14/2008 5:53:59 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
( Loose Associations - Postcards from My Mind)
To: JoeProBono
9
posted on
11/14/2008 6:19:44 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, October 11, 2008 !!!)
To: GoLightly
Yeah, apparently before that, they sweat a lot, even though they didn’t move around. ;’)
10
posted on
11/14/2008 6:20:25 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, October 11, 2008 !!!)
To: knarf
Now, see, that’s just naughty. I figured *someone* would say it, but I never thought it would be knarf. ;’)
11
posted on
11/14/2008 6:21:46 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, October 11, 2008 !!!)
To: Daffynition
Well, the whole rhythm section *was* the purple gang...
12
posted on
11/14/2008 6:22:51 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, October 11, 2008 !!!)
To: SunkenCiv
Yeah ... I'm such a goodie, goodie.
No kiddin' ... I blushed and my fingers trembled as I typed ... sat and prayed, waited for the go'head before hittin' "enter"
/8^)
13
posted on
11/14/2008 6:28:31 PM PST
by
knarf
(I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
To: knarf
Huh? Oh, sorry I was watching your Mobius stripping
14
posted on
11/14/2008 6:35:45 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
( Loose Associations - Postcards from My Mind)
To: JoeProBono
Thank you! Thankyouverymuch! ;)
15
posted on
11/14/2008 6:58:26 PM PST
by
SoKatt
("Change" is not a strategy!)
To: SoKatt
16
posted on
11/14/2008 7:38:49 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
( Loose Associations - Postcards from My Mind)
To: SunkenCiv
17
posted on
11/14/2008 8:10:06 PM PST
by
GRANGER
(We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. - Ann Coulter)
To: SunkenCiv
"Number forty-seven said to number three:/You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see./I sure would be delighted with your company,/Come on and do the jailhouse rock with me."
18
posted on
11/14/2008 8:28:48 PM PST
by
Daffynition
("A gov't big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.)
To: JoeProBono
You're givin' me a coronary.
19
posted on
11/14/2008 8:39:54 PM PST
by
Daffynition
("A gov't big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.)
To: Daffynition
"You're givin' me a coronary."
Sorry
20
posted on
11/14/2008 9:47:43 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
( Loose Associations - Postcards from My Mind)
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