Scientist challenges interpretation of new find, the oldest primate fossil ever discovered

Nature Jan. 1, 2004, Nature ^ | 31 dec 2003 | Greg Borzo

[baclava]

This is all pure fantasy...when does the alien genetic manipulation of our gene pool come into the picture?

[Stultis]

That sounds for all the world like a MONKEY, just like every "hominid" skeleton they've come up with so far

Only if you consider something outwardly similar to a shrew, or some other small insectivore, "for all the world like a monkey". More probably, in fact almost certainly, you just don't know what you're typing about.

[metacognative]

Fo'sho! It's a cult. You notice they never use the word "primitive" anymore...and this earliest is stratigraphcally meaningless.

[theFIRMbss]

>This is all pure fantasy...when does the alien genetic manipulation of our gene pool come into the picture?

You know, John Lennon
once said before the Beatles
came to the US,

all the women here
looked like horses. So, maybe
Manson was correct --

maybe MI6
was coordinating the
"British Invasion,"

and maybe splicing
has only been going on
two generations...

[AdmSmith]

Here are some additional information


Figure 1 Primate evolution in outline. This tree incorporates the results of the analysis by Ni et al.1 (see Fig. 3 on page 67; lemuroids are formally known as Adapiformes, and tarsioids as Omomyiformes). Along with Teilhardina belgica, the new species T. asiatica branches away first on the haplorhine side of the tree (T1). By contrast, T. americana (T2) is nested within the other Eocene tarsioids, calling into doubt its place in the genus Teilhardina. (Primate icons drawn by Lucrezia Beerli-Bieler.)

source: http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v427/n6969/full/427022a_fs.html

[expat_panama]

That map is a little out of date...  ..Meadowcroft and Topper sites and 15-35,000 year old artifacts at the Monte Verde site

There are dozens of sites similar to that in Clovis New Mexico dated 13,000 years ago, and they all coincide with both younger sites further south, and mass animal extinctions as they go.  Now, it's true that the site that enjoys the strongest credentials is the Meadowcroft shelter, but the oldest radiocarbon dates don't make sense, because the plant and animal species associated with them are species living in Pennsylvania in recent times of mild climates ranter than species expected for the glacial times of 16,000 years ago.  

The problems many archeologists have with Mt Verde is that the date is based on carbon far from the cave, and (once again) the date stands alone.  

Early humans didn't fly by helicopter from Alaska to Meadowcroft and Monte Verde skipping all the landscape in between.  Advocates of pre Clovis settlement suggest that, for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, pre-Clovis humans remained at low population densities or poorly visible archaeologically for unknown reasons unprecedented elsewhere in the world.

Check out 'Guns, Germs, and Steel, pp48-49.

[blam]

Calico: A 200,000-Year_old Site In The Americas

[LiteKeeper]

YEC INTREP - "Don't think so"

[expat_panama]

Calico: A 200,000-Year_old Site In The Americas

Thanks for the heads up on the post, but it follows a pattern.  Seems like every time someone discovers an earliest whatever, some jock wants to make the new record  by 'discovering' an earlier one. 

It's easy.  Some where near the site (dig if you gotta) find some charcoal and date it.  If it ain't a record, keep digging.  Eventually you'll be featured by Peter Jennings and who knows, if you can bad mouth dubya enough the Nobel people will give you cash money.

Sites like Calico and Mt. Verde bring to mind the saying: "extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof".  For once I'd really like to see them include a lot more details on their dating procedures in one of these 'earlier than Clovis' press releases.

[blam]

This is the latest Golly Gee article. Be sure to read the linked article. 'Bye Bye Beringia.'(8,000 Year Old Site In Florida)

European DNA Found In 7-8,000 Year Old Skeleton In Florida (Windover)

[jennyp]

Guys, this has nothing to do with the Out of Africa theory of the origins of Homo 1 or 2 million years ago. This has to do with the much earlier origin (several dozen million years ago) of the wider Primate group, to which humans, tarsiers, & everything in between belong.

[PatrickHenry]

I ain't related to no tarsiers!

[PatrickHenry]

[Little Bill]

The Out Of Africa theory posits that we crawled out of Uganda and populated the world, nasty, me bad.

When you look at the evidence, remnant cultures, from the Bushmen to the Abo's in OZ none of this makes much sence. There seems to be a nexus and it ain't Africa.

[The Shootist]

Why is that so tantalizing?

Because inquiring minds want to know.

[VadeRetro]

" Aye-aye, Sir!"

[msdrby]

ping

[Terriergal]

Well I understand why they would want to know origins - but why is Asia so tantalizing - as opposed to anywhere else?

[Terriergal]

I dunno why that would matter. We don't know where "the beginning" was.

[The Shootist]

but why is Asia so tantalizing

I'm not so sure that Asia is anymore important than anywhere else. Perhaps because the find was unique?