Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Georgia fossil suggests key stage of human evolution was in Europe [not Africa]
The Times ^ | 9/9/2009 | Mark Henderson

Posted on 09/09/2009 9:20:25 PM PDT by bruinbirdman

A key stage in human evolution may have taken place on the fringes of Europe and not in Africa as has generally been thought, scientists said yesterday.

Fossils of an ancient human relative, or hominin, from Georgia dated from 1.8 million years ago suggest that the first of our ancestors to walk upright could have done so in Eurasia, the British Science Festival was told.

David Lordkipanidze, director of the Georgian National Museum, said the skulls, fossils and limb bones found at Dmanisi in 1999 and 2001 raise the possibility that Homo erectus, a forerunner of modern humans, evolved in Europe or Asia and later spread back to Africa. He also revealed that a fifth well-preserved skull, the most complete yet, had been discovered at the site.

The Dmanisi fossils, which have been identified either as Homo erectus or a new species, Homo georgicus, have already shown ancient hominins began to leave Africa at least 1.8 million years ago, pushing back the accepted date for the first exodus from the cradle of humanity by several hundred thousand years.

This leaves two possible scenarios for a critical phase in evolution, Professor Lordkipanidze said. Either Homo erectus could have evolved in Africa and then spread to Asia and even Europe, or a more primitive relative might have left Africa and evolved into the more upright, advanced species in Eurasia. “We all agree the first appearance of humans was in Africa but when they left and started global colonisation is a debatable issue,” Professor Lordkipanidze said.

“The prevailing view before Dmanisi was that they left about a million years ago, and had sophisticated tools and quite advanced anatomy and brain capacity. What we’re finding is different.

“The story begins in Georgia. It was always thought the Champions’ League of human evolution took place

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: dmanisi; godsgravesglyphs; homoerectus; homoerectusgeorgicus; origin; origins; republicofgeorgia
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-43 next last

1 posted on 09/09/2009 9:20:25 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

That’s racist!


2 posted on 09/09/2009 9:23:17 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

David Lordkipanidze? Homo Lordkipanidze sounds like a fossil.


3 posted on 09/09/2009 9:25:12 PM PDT by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman
What, you mean the earth is over 6,000 years old. Well Dang!!!!! LOL!!!
4 posted on 09/09/2009 9:26:19 PM PDT by org.whodat (Vote: Chuck De Vore in 2012.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Army Air Corps

You got that right! First, Wilson gives BO a “teachable moment” without the cold brews and now this. Not a good Wednesday for the racebaiters.


5 posted on 09/09/2009 9:26:27 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (ObamaCare! When "natural causes" just isn't good enough!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Ping?


6 posted on 09/09/2009 9:27:57 PM PDT by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Army Air Corps
LOL.

But seriously, if civilization began in Africa then why did they never advance as fast as Europeans?

7 posted on 09/09/2009 9:28:35 PM PDT by SantosLHalper (I am the World that hides the Universal secret of All time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman
Why yes, everyone knows that the blacks are the true Jews .. SARCASM....
8 posted on 09/09/2009 9:28:49 PM PDT by American Constitutionalist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Army Air Corps
 

Coincidence?

9 posted on 09/09/2009 9:30:24 PM PDT by OldSpice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman
Point being that we only know part of the story. Suppose these beings were a pygmy versions of other humanoid types. Even if we accept evolutionary theory, we might miss the agent that induced the change from one kind to another. Natural selection is, after all, no more than the conclusion of a statistical study of local and observable adaptations.
10 posted on 09/09/2009 9:30:28 PM PDT by RobbyS (ECCE HOMO!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OldSpice

11 posted on 09/09/2009 9:31:49 PM PDT by OldSpice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: OldSpice

Old maps. DNA has obliterated it.


12 posted on 09/09/2009 9:32:14 PM PDT by SatinDoll (NO Foreign Nationals as our President!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: SatinDoll

I didn’t comprehend. DNA maps have actually verified this.


13 posted on 09/09/2009 9:33:05 PM PDT by OldSpice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

The origin of the human race changes about once every year. Someone else will find another fossil somewhere, and we will have another theory. It’s just like the origin of the universe. That view changes about once every five years. Today it’s dark matter; tomorrow it will be something else.


14 posted on 09/09/2009 9:34:21 PM PDT by Nosterrex
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SantosLHalper
Which Europeans? In Roman times, the Scandinavians were culturally not much more advanced than West Africans. And which Africans? Bushmen are different from Bantu, which became the dominant race on the Continent.
15 posted on 09/09/2009 9:35:32 PM PDT by RobbyS (ECCE HOMO!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

Europeans gold, Asians silver, Africans bronze


16 posted on 09/09/2009 9:37:23 PM PDT by BlueStateBlues (Blue State business, Red State heart. . . . .Palin 2012----can't come soon enough!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nosterrex

The more we know the more confusing it becomes. because the new evidence knocks so many theories into a cocked-hat.


17 posted on 09/09/2009 9:38:36 PM PDT by RobbyS (ECCE HOMO!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman
Either Homo erectus could have evolved in Africa and then spread to Asia and even Europe, or a more primitive relative might have left Africa and evolved into the more upright, advanced species in Eurasia.

The PC crowd will not allow any notion that a primitive relative left Africa, then evolved into "the more upright, advanced species in Eurasia." Can't have that.

18 posted on 09/09/2009 9:39:56 PM PDT by Will88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RobbyS

Georgia Bulldogs rule.


19 posted on 09/09/2009 9:44:03 PM PDT by mathurine (qu)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: OldSpice

Nope.

IndoEuropean languages spread from southern India towards the north and DNA confirmed that progression.

Also, the Black Sea didn’t exist 7,500 years ago. Instead there was a small body of water in that location named the Old Euxine Lake. The present Persian Gulf did not exist until about 8,000 years ago. Between 14,000 to 10,000 years ago it was mostly dry land. Sea levels 14,000 years ago were 400 feet lower than today and much evidence of human civilization world-wide probably was flooded over a period of 6,000 years. The remains of human habitation and activity is being found underwater off the coasts of England, India, and on the floor of the Black Sea.

With the continental shelves exposed as dry land then humans could migrate a lot more easily on the edges of land masses rather than across frozen interiors. There is accumulating evidence that southern India had thriving cities made of stone that are now under the sea, 30 to 34 kilometres from shore. Where Indonesia is now an archipelago of islands, 14,000 years ago it would have been a large land mass above sea level.

Think of all the archeological evidence that we cannot reach.


20 posted on 09/09/2009 9:45:42 PM PDT by SatinDoll (NO Foreign Nationals as our President!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-43 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson