The truth "is what it is." Many studies in all areas of science are based more on what gets the grants than what's true.
The old fossils and bones also serve as Rorschach tests. Dittos for studies of ancient cultures. The conclusions reached often say more about the person doing the studying than the subject. I guess it would be boring if all these studies said, "actually, we know damned little about these bones."
Where are the apes’ ancestors?
I guess they’ll have to find their own, and set up their own grants for doing so.
The fact is most archeological finds are lucky to come up with 25% of a complete remains.
“Finding an extinct species of chimp, monkey, gorilla or whatever doesn’t get grants. Finding a human link gets grants.” Richard Kimball
That is incorrect. We have MUCH more remains of likely human ancestors from the same period of 3-5 million years ago than fossil remains of chimps or gorillas. This is most likely due to fossils being preserved better where human ancestors lived, rather than in the jungle where chimps and gorillas ancestors likely lived.
A good knuckle walking ape fossil of a likely gorilla ancestor from 5 million years ago would be a SPECTACULAR find and get plenty of grants.
Agreed, i once heard the same thing on a tour at Mesa Verde indian ruins. When they can’t say exactly when or why a ruin was abandoned, the hippy park guides always say they probably had a “war” with their neighbors.
Ink blot test, exactly sir!