Ignored for Decades, Insect Fossil Is Declared World's Oldest

New York Times ^ | February 11, 2004 | CAROL KAESUK YOON

[68skylark]

Even though I'm highly critical of the Times reporting on matters of politics, the economy and national security, I gotta say that many of their stories on other topics (like science) are just great. There are two sides to my love-hate feelings for the Times!

[Coop]

Hmmm. So Hillary has now been bumped to second place...

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

I used to enjoy their Science, Arts, Sunday Crossword, and the rest, but I cannot, in good conscience, support these lefties by buying their paper. I cancelled my subscription about 15 years ago.

[keithtoo]

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Old fossil ping!

[ClearCase_guy]

Because the jaws appear to place the fossil species among lineages of insects that exhibit well-developed wings, the authors expressed confidence that little Rhyniognatha could indeed fly.

Based on the jaw, I'd say this insect could fly.
Excuse me?
Well, you see, many insects with jaws like this, can fly.
And such insects, you maintain, evolve over time?
Most certainly!
The jaws evolve, the ability to fly evolves. I see. Tell me, what makes you think that these jaws indicate that the ability to fly had already evolved in this particular instance? Couldn't the jaws have come first, and flight second? Or not at all?
Well, yes. We said it was shakier. We don't know for sure.
So, you're making a guess? A great leap based on woefully incomplete information? And this is science?
Well, it brings in the grant money!

[mlbford2]

I'm holding you responsible for the cleaning bill for the Coke that flew out of my nose onto my keyboard. I'll send you the bill.

[LiteKeeper]

YEC INTREP - Dating methods?

[PatrickHenry]

You think the whole list should be pinged for this thread?

[richardtavor]

actually, their facts on scientific matters are as dubious as any of their other news items. The earliest Trilobites are thought to have existed in the Cambrian Period, which would date back to about 543 million years--but what's a few hundred million years among friends?

[fish hawk]

"some ten million to twenty million years". Gee only a small margin of ten million years! These guys really slay me. Evolution my ass.

[Michael_Michaelangelo]

Well, it brings in the grant money!

And the beat goes on.

[Jim Cane]

Based on this picture, does the animal fly around in a UFO, brachiate through trees, or does he walk around on hooves?

Many animals exhibit this particular characteristic. Is it reasonable to make assumptions as to it's mode of mobility, based on what we see other animals with this same trait?

[Michael_Michaelangelo]

Hey! Stop joking! You mean to tell me that from this:

You can't tell the little buggers flew? C'mon!

Source: University of Aberdeen

[Jim Cane]

I'm a paleo conservative, not a paleo entymologist, but I bet if you talked to one of the latter, they'd say, "yep, all flying insects have a puss that looks just like that."

Sure, it represents the logical fallicy of arguing from the general to the specific, but betting men like those odds.

[68skylark]

Well, an error of 10-20 million years out of 400 million years is only 2.5% to 5%. That doesn't sound too bad to me -- that's lots better accuracy than I get in my job as an actuary!

[68skylark]

I think the article was talking about the earliest insects, not the earliest animals. A 400 million year old insect is quite a discovery, I think.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

I guess it depends on how things are going at home. ;)

[richardtavor]

A trilobite would be akin to a modern day beetle, so I think the point is correct.

[richardtavor]

A trilobite would be akin to a modern day beetle, so I think the point is correct.