Posted on 04/02/2007 7:09:39 PM PDT by blam
Skeleton holds key to origin of man
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
Last Updated: 2:24am BST 03/04/2007
A skeleton of a possible hybrid between modern and more ancient humans has been found in China, which challenges the theory that modern man originated in Africa.
Most experts believe that our ancestors emerged in Africa more than 150,000 years ago and then migrated around the world.
However, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Prof Erik Trinkaus and colleagues provide details of a skeleton found in 2003 from Tianyuan Cave near Beijing.
The skeleton is 42,000 to 38,500 years old, making it the oldest modern human skeleton from eastern Eurasia, and one of the oldest modern humans from the region.
Most of its features match those of modern man, though some are more like late archaic humans, including the Neanderthals. The authors conclude that, as our ancestors spread, they interbred with local, more ancient, types of human.
The researchers say it is unlikely that a simple spread of modern humans occurred east of Africa, especially because slightly younger skeletons have been found in eastern Eurasia with similar features.
"The partial skeleton from Tianyuan is an important find, since there is a dearth of material from east Asia to document how modern humans became established there," said Prof Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum.
"Radiocarbon dates place the find close in age to the earliest Homo sapiens fossils so far discovered in Europe, Lebanon, Malaysia and Australia.
"Outside of Africa, only the early modern finds from Skhul and Qafzeh [in Israel], and possibly Liujiang from southern China, are of much greater antiquity."
Paleontologists can each present completely divergent theories of how the Tyranosaurus behaved as if they had Rex family home videos. Neither of them will ever state "I think" or "We believe" its always Rex was this and Rex was that.
Evolution still needs to be studied as a theory because all you have a dots and not the complete picture. New dots change the picture and most of the folks I watch talk about evolution talk like they have the whole picture.
I don't dismiss evolution but I think people should choose their words more carefully and talk less in absolutes.
I was just pulling your leg.
Well, you're just a heel! I toed you not to do that.
Well, the back o’ my hand to you! One more bone crack and I’ll knee you in the crotch.
No more bone puns?
Why, you whippersnapper! Aorta smack you one!
Make no bones about it, I’m winning. Soft tissues Aorta not count and you are about to see me vent my spleen.
You’re gonna get a knuckle sandwich if you don’t toe the line.
Remember: Dead men talus no tails...er...tales.
If I were to continue on in a similar vein, I would reuse knee and humerus, but no! I'm artery enough to fight back with something new! Try to capillary that!
I shall fight tooth and nail like any good clean liver, lest thigh work, written in medial cuniform, earn thee the title, Maxilla, King of the Puns.
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Gods |
Just updating the GGG info, not sending a general distribution. |
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