Posted on 09/08/2006 7:50:32 PM PDT by blam
There's an old short story by Theodore Sturgeon in which an Earthling is taken into the confidence of an extraterrestrial, who tells the Earthling that he's ready to join his kindred and travel among the stars. She claims that the ancestors of humans on Earth were extraterrestrial survivors of a disabled colony ship which crashed many thousands of years earlier. When the Earthling pointed out that there are hominid fossils, the ET said, "they are indigenous", and that the planets to be colonized are always an exact match for the homeworld. :')
Just to add to your neotony theory, I'd always heard our heads have been getting too big to get through the birth canal, so we are born in essence premature.
"But we're really weaklings, runts, physically stunted and retarded - our genetic flaw. But what a flaw! Because the same defect that didn't let the body grow to full ape-like prowess ALSO didn't let the mind close and the neural pathways hardwire into instinct. Our brains remained more babylike, more juvenile, and capable of massive absorption of information, like all young animals."
I have a two year old niece. What struck me is that she loves to walk and run, keeps up rather well in fact on a long walk in the park (pant pant). Perhaps the lack of strength was replaced by endurance.
:') Alas, chimps are geographically pretty limited, and their numbers are measured in the thousands. So, unless they've got some kind of huge underground bunker where they're developing a huge cloned chimp army with super-advanced weapons, or biological agents... ;')
If a homocidal chimp comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come cryin' for me... [in John Cleese voice]
Simple. Who's here? Who's not? Those who aren't don't get to be the cool kids.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
That's "cow-orker."
< }B^)
:')
The Neandertal EnigmaFrayer's own reading of the record reveals a number of overlooked traits that clearly and specifically link the Neandertals to the Cro-Magnons. One such trait is the shape of the opening of the nerve canal in the lower jaw, a spot where dentists often give a pain-blocking injection. In many Neandertal, the upper portion of the opening is covered by a broad bony ridge, a curious feature also carried by a significant number of Cro-Magnons. But none of the alleged 'ancestors of us all' fossils from Africa have it, and it is extremely rare in modern people outside Europe." [pp 126-127]
by James Shreeve
*Yawn* Top of the morning to ya....
First cup of coffee time
Hmmm....Hadn't notice the Presenter / Dog's eye contract, viewed again......Granmar / speling, was OK :D
...."Then I'll stab him w/ a Banana....a passion fruit or a *Crunch* 16 Tonne Mass weight thingee falling from nowhere...." :D
Of all the primates, humans are the only ones that come out of the birth canal facing to the rear. Just before birth, the baby has to do a spin around to face to the rear. Other primate mothers can help and facilitate the birthing process but human mothers can't. The 'spin around' process is to accommodate the larger brained/headed humans.
Neanderthals were geographically limited--I believe all the remains found so far are either from Europe or the Middle East (e.g., Israel)--when other humans were more widely distributed. So it's not unreasonable to think of the Neanderthals as a side branch.
What's the bet? I've fought with fists, but not with rocks -- is that what you call a good fight?
I think the emphasis is on "men", there. While it may be possible for a single man to kill a lion with a pointy stick (Monty Python, again), it's very unlikely for such a match to end with the man still standing. The lion has speed, quickness, strength, size, agility, very sharp claws, and sharp teeth; as I said, a killing machine.
I agree with your point about the men hunting in packs. The aforesaid cat is fine 1-on-1 but against 2 or more animals it has a major problem protecting its rear. As far as why hunt lions, I can only think its done to prove one's manhood against the King of the jungle -- the old West gunfighter syndrome.
The Seminoles had a manhood ritual involving hunting the Florida panther. I am sure that African veldt living humans both stone age & otherwise did something similar. My comment about hunting lions for food was more tongue-in-cheek then serious.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.