Posted on 01/05/2010 12:54:26 AM PST by Bobalu
Two neuroscientists say that a now-extinct race of humans had big eyes, child-like faces, and an average intelligence of around 150, making them geniuses among Homo sapiens.
The history of evolutionary studies has been dogged by the intuitively attractive, almost irresistible idea that the whole great process leads to greater complexity, to animals that are more advanced than their predecessors. The pre-Darwin theories of evolution were built around this idea; in fact, Darwins (and Wallaces) great and radical contribution was to throw out the notion of progress and replace it with selection from among a set of random variations. But people do not easily escape from the idea of progress. Were drawn to the idea that we are the end point, the pinnacle not only of the hominids but of all animal life.
Boskops argue otherwise. They say that humans with big brains, and perhaps great intelligence, occupied a substantial piece of southern Africa in the not very distant past, and that they eventually gave way to smaller-brained, possibly less advanced Homo sapiensthat is, ourselves.
(Excerpt) Read more at discovermagazine.com ...
Too bad these brilliant monkeys did not see fit to record their thoughts for posterity. Nor, apparently, were they bright enough to transcend their environment the way man did.
A cavewoman admires his accomplishment and takes a liking to him. A second caveman looks on enviously, hits Steve Martin on the head with a rock, killing him, and gains the attention of the cavewoman.
The use of fire must wait a little longer.
Okay we’ve got two neuroscientists concurring, got the peer review issue solved.
Well we don't know that. The native Americans of North America had no written language, yet they were intelligent enough to live in organized societies.
These “people” obviously moved to another plane, like the Anasazi indians.
"Mmmmm ... tastes like chicken!"
LOL that’s funny!
Looks like my ex-fiancee’s family
Oh man... these were space aliens... don’t these scientists know anything!?
LLS
Your reply to HiTech RedNeck sounds like apples to oranges to me.
What happened to them?
Simple;
They voted for a prehistoric version of ‘Hope And Change’.
Big eyes, Bigger brains, doesn’t mean more intelligent.
The fact that they left no cioviliztion remnants save their own bones is a testimony to a sportive evolutionary line, but nothing more.
Amazing how scientists jump to weird conclusions about intelligence. That cannot be measured by physical characteristic alone. Intelligence can only be measured by performance. Are there any artifacts which testify to that alleged higher untelligence, a lap top, flashlight, batteries, radios?(sarc.)
Hmmm, which one is Ballmer?
“They died and we lived, and we cant answer the question why.”
Cuz we were smarter and better able to adapt.
If they were smarter, they would care more for the environment — as smart people do. They would also realize that man is an enemy of the earth. So they killed themselves.
LOL.
ping
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