"Missing Link"

[Tamrin]

I saw a documentary on this topic recently — fascinating stuff:

"MISSING LINK" FOUND:
New Fossil Links Humans, Lemurs?

[Excerpt - Article, National Geographic, 19/05/2009 - Linked Above (thanks Brad)]

May 19, 2009—Meet "Ida," the small "missing link" found in Germany that's created a big media splash and will likely continue to make waves among those who study human origins.

In a new book, documentary, and promotional Web site, paleontologist Jorn Hurum, who led the team that analyzed the 47-million-year-old fossil seen above, suggests Ida is a critical missing-link species in primate evolution (interactive guide to human evolution from National Geographic magazine).

[Tamrin]

Fossil finds extend human story

[Excerpt, Article by Jonathan Amos, BBC News, 1 October 2009 - Linked above]

An ancient human-like creature that may be a direct ancestor to our species has been described by researchers.

The assessment of the 4.4-million-year-old animal called Ardipithecus ramidus is reported in the journal Science.

Even if it is not on the direct line to us, it offers new insights into how we evolved from the common ancestor we share with chimps, the team says.

Fossils of A. ramidus were first found in Ethiopia in 1992, but it has taken 17 years to assess their significance.

The most important specimen is a partial skeleton of a female nicknamed "Ardi".

[maximus]

The debbil put it in the ground to draw us away from Jeebus and into the lake o' fire!

Sssaaaatttttaaaannnnnnn!!!!!!




Seriously, this sort of discovery is fascinating. We keep pushing back the limits of understanding.

[Tamrin]

Oct 5, 2009 8:17:43 GMT 10 @maximus said:

The debbil put it in the ground to draw us away from Jeebus and into the lake o' fire!

Sssaaaatttttaaaannnnnnn!!!!!!



Seriously, this sort of discovery is fascinating. We keep pushing back the limits of understanding.

[Azaziel]

blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2009/10/01/fabulous-new-fossil-of-human-ancestor/