Posted on 11/03/2010 5:02:12 PM PDT by Cardhu
They are rarely held up as examples of refined, gentle behaviour.
Now scientists have found evidence that cavemen really were the violent and competitive knuckleheads depicted in movies and cartoons.
A study of fossilised remains suggests that our ancient ancestors had far higher levels of the male sex hormone testosterone than people living today.
If the findings are confirmed, it means they were more aggressive and promiscuous than modern men - and that tens of thousands of years of evolution have had a civilising influence on the human race.
The study was carried out by British and Canadian scientists who worked out the testosterone levels of extinct apes and ancestors by looking at the length of fossilised finger bones.
Past studies have shown that exposure to testosterone in the womb can make humans and apes more aggressive and more promiscuous.
The same hormones also alter the way babies develop physically in the womb.
Boys exposed to high levels tend to have a longer ring finger relative to their index finger, while in males exposed to lower levels, the two fingers tend to be a similar length.
The scientists worked out the ratio of the two finger lengths for a range of ancient hominins - or ancient members of the family tree - including four Neanderthals and an early modern human from 70,000 years ago.
They also studied the finger lengths of an ape-like ancestor called Australopithecus afarensis which lived three million years ago and an even older species called Ardipithecus ramidus from 4.4 million years ago.
Although the researchers only looked at a handful of specimens, the findings suggest that Neanderthals and early humans were more testosterone fuelled than modern men.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I hear Obama does not have a ring finger.
Well duh!
One would expect that since they were more animal like.
Hell, people from the 1970’s were more promiscuous and competitive than modern man.
Stop with the logic. :)
They could have watched “Quest for Fire” and figured that out, all for the cost of a movie rental/download.
Lol! It’s still only a piece of the puzzle of truth. ;-o
I’m pretty sure Fred Flintstone’s fingers are all the same size.
More than Charlie Sheen?
:-(
When you imagine the women of those days - they certainly needed that extra dose of testosterone and temporary blindness.
Hmmmm...I must be a beast.
I saw that movie - great dialog.
Another reason to have someone pull my finger! ;-)
Trolling for wimmin - lol
Who the hell is paying for this “absolutely unproveable” “crap science”.
>Hell, people from the 1970’s were more promiscuous and competitive than modern man.
Confirmed:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2620924/posts
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