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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 04/05/2010 : 07:23:54
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I really wish they'd get off that "missing link" crap.
The new species of hominid, the evolutionary branch of primates that includes humans, is to be revealed when the two-million-year-old skeleton of a child is unveiled this week.
Scientists believe the almost-complete fossilised skeleton belonged to a previously-unknown type of early human ancestor that may have been a intermediate stage as ape-men evolved into the first species of advanced humans, Homo habilis.
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I'm sure that AiG will set us straight on this one, as they have on so many others.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 08:48:50 [Permalink]
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A side-light on this: I'm always happier each time I read about these discoveries for even another reason. It's the slow but steady "Africanization" of hominid studies on that continent.
More and more fine African scientists are trained up and engaged in the study, and African nations are taking pride in their heritage through the studies. Thus means that both the quality and quantity of study will probably increase over time. It's not just white foreigners anymore, though they are still welcomed.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 04/06/2010 : 08:39:03 [Permalink]
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And off we go, heigh-ho!
"April 05, 2010
Fundamentalists Ridicule New-Found Fossil That Supports Evolution
Transitional fossils are often referred to as "missing links," a catchy but ambiguous term that is commonly derided by religious fundamentalists who reject any scenario that doesn't incorporate Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, and a sly serpent peddling forbidden fruit. Even though the Book of Genesis is as fantastical as Homer's Odyssey with its sea monsters and pantheon of squabbling deities, I've always fancied the idea of Eve taking that first bite of the apple. At least she showed initiative. (I prefer to imagine that Eve wasn't "beguiled" at all, but that the serpent was jealously guarding his cache of Knowledge and the first woman found a way to beguile him. She devoured the fruit lustily - and then offered her leavings to Adam, who of course ate anything that was put in front of him. How different the world would be if the Old Testament had been written by feminists.) Okay, back to reality. Bible thumpers like to claim that scientists sa. humans are descended from apes. Scientists do not say that. Every thinking person knows that apes are our evolutionary cousins, not our forebearers.
The fact is, "missing links" are nothing more or less than the fossilized remains of intermediary life forms, tiny pieces of a prehistoric jigsaw puzzle which document evolutionary transitions. Unfortunately, science writers in mainstream media often pander to public misconceptions about evolution by attaching too much significance to the concept of a "missing link." This does a disservice to readers who actually want to learn something about humanity's antecedents.
Despite the slightly sensationalistic coverage, this looks to me like a big fucking deal (as Joe Biden might observe):
<snip>
You can tell that this new discovery is important by the swarm of ignorant comments the story has generated. Below are a few responses from Telegraph readers that demonstrate their lack of education. Some are invariably racist:
•Saying they have found the "Missing Link" and posting a picture of Michelle Obama to try and trick us.
•Evolution is an obvious lie to draw us away from understanding the Creator. It's a lie that's been told at least two times before in history. No doubt to create a more efficient slave society.
•Well if we evolved from apes or monkeys or whatever why aren't we evolving into something else by now? WE did not come from apes or monkeys but from GODS own hands.
•All that proves is people were having sex with monkeys forever. It looks like Mr. T' and Lady Gaga's love child.
•It's no surprise that they come out with something like this on Easter. These people are so predictable as to put the Godless "ape" theory in there on a religious holiday.
•We are also enlightened by "science" on said weekend about another fossil find that will prove once and for all that we evolved from a fish who later decided to be an ape then decided to be human.
•I predict that this is either another deliberate hoax put out there to fool the gullible, or it's just plain WRONG, like all the other "links" they've found, but which have been later debunked. More junk science.
•Maybe the same experts that were hiding info on climategate. Macro evo is a damned LIE!
•I'm a Christian. I don't believe in evolution. Happy to suffer any derision. If you think faith is not part of a belief in evolution, you are only fooling yourselves.
•Funny how you never see a dissenting source in these stories. It's just another in a long string of advocacy pieces posing as journalism.
•Finding more ape like animal bones does nothing to prove that they are linked to man. It just proves we had more variety of apes.
•They can never prove it. Like global warming they just keep trying to make it happen.
•Evolution and Christianity CANNOT both be true. The bible teaches that death was brought about by sin. In order to "evolve," there has to be death. Either this skeleton is ape or human. It cannot be a "missing link."
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Another page in the book is found...
