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Old 10-09-2015, 13:56
Arcana
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Is Homo Naledi the 'missing link'?

New human-like species naledi discovered in South Africa
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Old 10-09-2015, 16:03
Keyser_Soze1
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This is incredible news.

An almost complete primitive Hominin.

I just cannot wait for all of the Creationists to put their fingers in their ears close their eyes tightly shut and stick their heads deep into a bucket of sand.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34207084

I will post more links when I have read through them.

PS.

'Missing link' is a Victorian term - transitional species is a far better description (like Tiktaalik for example) - although every single generation is simply part of a continuum.
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Old 10-09-2015, 16:41
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This remarkable discovery of Homo naledi is the main feature of the October edition of National Geographic.

Here is the complete in depth story (with photos and videos).

It is really superb and a must read for anybody interested in the origins of our species.

Also a big round of applause for the ladies whose bravery in getting through to the cave site is a thing of wonder - you would not catch me trying to squeeze through bloody 'Superman's Crawl'.

Humanity at it's very best.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...lution-change/

http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/...uman-ancestor/

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com...n-family-tree/
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Old 10-09-2015, 22:08
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I've mentioned Australia before. The evidence for a human-caused extinction there doesn't stack up.

The earliest verified evidence of humans in Australia are stone flakes, from tool production, near Lake Mungo, dated to about 45,000-50,000 years ago. But one very prominent paper on the extinctions, Roberts et al (2001), which put a date on the extinctions of 46,400 years, acknowledges that 40% of the megafauna they examined were already extinct by 100,000 years ago.

The earliest evidence of humans even interacting with the Australian megafauna isn't until about 35,000 years ago, at a place called Cuddie Springs. Fillios et al, (2010) examined over 8,000 bone fragments from the site and found a total of nine fragments that had cut marks, that may have been caused by humans, and six fragments that had turned white due to burning, which usually only happens in campfires.

That's all.

There's much more evidence for a drying environment starting about 400,000 years ago, becoming increasingly arid about 75,000 years ago and possibly being the cause of the disappearance of the rainforests from much of Australia.



On that note, this is a lovely little dromaeosaur tooth (0.5 - 1 mm in size) that I found while volunteering at the Natural History Museum.

http://s4.postimg.org/txkld5xwt/Theropod_Tooth_01.jpg
Yes I remember - although the article that I linked to is more of a general one throughout the world rather than just Australia - and no matter how I try I cannot believe that the arrival of humans was not severely detrimental to the remaining megafauna (as it was everywhere else).

That tooth is wonderful by the way.
The discovery of Australia's largest theropod (so far) and a nice article and video of Spinosaurus the longest (but not the heaviest) theropod dinosaur.

The reconstruction of the ancient Aussie by Julius T. Csotonyi is really beautiful.

http://www.australiangeographic.com....gest-carnivore

http://www.aramcoworld.com/issue/201....of.giants.htm
All this mention of all things Australia reminds me of this ------> http://i.imgur.com/nXmYtdQ.jpg

New!

Rare mammoth, bison fossils unearthed in California
In July, fossils up to 200,000 years old were discovered at a construction site in Carlsbad, California, where more than 600 houses are set to be built. After the discovery the construction work has been stopped for sometime to work on the fossils found. More than 500 fossils were unearthed at the dam construction site in Silicon Valley in California. The incredible finds included teeth from what could be the biggest prehistoric shark that ever lived, measuring close to 40 feet.

The 5ft-long scorpion that terrorised the seas 460 million years ago: Fossils of giant predator with 'paddles' found in Iowa
The 'fantastically preserved' fossils of the largest and oldest species of sea scorpion ever found have been unearthed in Iowa. Dating back 460 million years, the eurypterid species would have measured more than 5ft (1.5 metres) long and had unique 'paddle-shaped' legs to help it swim and dig. Its bizarre shape resembles that of the Greek warship penteconter, and the species has been described as 'Pentecopterus decorahensis'.

Tracey Logan talks to Professor Chris Stringer about the discovery a new human ancestor, Homo Naledi. With ape and human like features its age isn't known yet but could it be evidence of the origin of the genus homo?
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Old 10-09-2015, 22:25
zackai48
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This is incredible news.

An almost complete primitive Hominin.

I just cannot wait for all of the Creationists to put their fingers in their ears close their eyes tightly shut and stick their heads deep into a bucket of sand.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34207084

I will post more links when I have read through them.

PS.

'Missing link' is a Victorian term - transitional species is a far better description (like Tiktaalik for example) - although every single generation is simply part of a continuum.
It is not unusual for this poster to make fun of creationists, but these bones would seem to belong to apes. As for the age of the bones, it cannot be more than about 6000 years,when God created the world. The so-called missing link will never be found because humans never evolved from apes.
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Old 10-09-2015, 22:48
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It is not unusual for this poster to make fun of creationists, but these bones would seem to belong to apes. As for the age of the bones, it cannot be more than about 6000 years,when God created the world. The so-called missing link will never be found because humans never evolved from apes.

Computer says No and the printout says that planet Earth is 4.5 billion years old and that the wider universe is 13.8 billion years old - end of.
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Old 10-09-2015, 22:50
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It is not unusual for this poster to make fun of creationists, but these bones would seem to belong to apes. As for the age of the bones, it cannot be more than about 6000 years,when God created the world. The so-called missing link will never be found because humans never evolved from apes.
This thread is about science and Homo sapiens using our minds to discover the truth about the wonderful evolutionary history of this planet.

If you want to drone on about the world being 6000 years old go and do it on a Creationist site.

http://freeschools.sayingno.org/wp-c...reationist.png

Thanks.
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Old 10-09-2015, 22:58
CLL Dodge
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There are a whole chain of missing links but it's a bit of a lottery if they get found.
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Old 10-09-2015, 23:05
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There are a whole chain of missing links but it's a bit of a lottery if they get found.
Exactly.

Conditions have to be perfect for anything to fossilise at all.

As I said the term 'Missing Link' is a Victorian idea - all species are on a continuum in the ever expanding tree of life.

Sasha - the only preserved baby Woolly rhino in the world has been dated to around 34,000 years old - or 28.000 years older than the earth.

http://siberiantimes.com/science/cas...ay-scientists/
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Old 10-09-2015, 23:26
Arcana
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I use outdated terminology because I'm a bit of a fossil myself. 💀
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Old 10-09-2015, 23:31
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I use outdated terminology because I'm a bit of a fossil myself. 💀
I was being of a bit pedantic prat, sorry.

Take comfort from the fact that you do not believe the world is 6000 years old.
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Old 11-09-2015, 17:45
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The kind of person that some people elect to represent them in America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=85&v=ZBy3MbP4WDo

If one of these nutters ever gets into the White House the world will be in very deep shit indeed.

Just imagine this moron's finger on the button.
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Old 12-09-2015, 21:43
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A shitload of interesting links.

The Devil must be a very busy bloke planting all of these fossils in the rocks.

What an evil bastard!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...evolution-101/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...ution-science/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...lution-change/

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/scienc...ree-180956572/

http://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-m...-few-surprises

http://markwitton-com.blogspot.co.uk...-reptiles.html

http://gimpasaura.blogspot.co.uk/201...roduction.html
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Old 13-09-2015, 05:32
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What would really have happened in Jurassic Park 3.

http://img07.deviantart.net/bdbe/i/2...er-d90ebrr.png
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Old 13-09-2015, 08:47
CLL Dodge
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A shitload of interesting links.

The Devil must be a very busy bloke planting all of these fossils in the rocks.

What an evil bastard!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...ution-science/
The “aquatic ape” hypothesis is widely dismissed by the scientific community. But shortly before his death, Richard Attenborough endorsed it.
Not sure why the opinion of a movie director should be worth pointing out.
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Old 13-09-2015, 10:46
zackai48
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This thread is about science and Homo sapiens using our minds to discover the truth about the wonderful evolutionary history of this planet.

If you want to drone on about the world being 6000 years old go and do it on a Creationist site.

http://freeschools.sayingno.org/wp-c...reationist.png

Thanks.
I believe you brought up the word creationist in your post. I was merely stating my view on these bones, which I think is relevant to the subject under discussion.
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Old 13-09-2015, 18:49
Keyser_Soze1
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I believe you brought up the word creationist in your post. I was merely stating my view on these bones, which I think is relevant to the subject under discussion.
You keep stating over and over again that the world is 6000 years old despite the vast mountains of incontrovertible evidence to the contrary.

How do you explain Gobekli Tepe, Catalhoyuk or your biblical Jericho for that matter?

All millennia older than the bloody planet according to you.

The earth is 4.54 billion years old (plus or minus 0.05 billion years).

Of course naledi is an ape - so are we - or haven't you noticed?
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Old 13-09-2015, 22:17
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I believe you brought up the word creationist in your post. I was merely stating my view on these bones, which I think is relevant to the subject under discussion.
Your views are those of a creationist, and are therefore of no interest, being contrary to all of science.
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Old 13-09-2015, 22:27
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Your views are those of a creationist, and are therefore of no interest, being contrary to all of science.
Thanks.

This poster should stop reading this thread - what possible interest can it be to them?
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Old 15-09-2015, 22:26
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An interesting article about possible Apatosaur conflict using their incredibly massive, robust and powerful necks.

http://svpow.com/2015/09/14/so-what-...r-crazy-necks/

John Gurche is a really talented Paleo artist.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...nt-human-face/
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Old 16-09-2015, 06:48
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The evolutionary history of that famous survivor from the deep past - the Coelacanth.

http://www.livescience.com/52178-anc...evelopment.htm

http://www.livescience.com/52172-anc...nt-photos.html
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Old 17-09-2015, 20:10
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A few recent stories.

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/...osaur-meeting/

http://phenomena.nationalgeographic....ing-lifestyle/
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Old 18-09-2015, 20:34
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The world's first fully upright walking animal and the oldest sea turtle yet discovered.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-pmb091715.php

http://www.livescience.com/52224-old...le-fossil.html
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Old 19-09-2015, 23:52
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Even the toy dinosaurs now have feathers - take note Hollywood.

http://blog.everythingdinosaur.co.uk...aur-model.html

http://www.everythingdinosaur.com/mo....html?limit=30

Humps, lumps and fat tissue in dinosaurs.

http://markwitton-com.blogspot.co.uk...issues-in.html

A full scale replica skeleton of the (so far unnamed) 37 metre long Titanosaur is to feature in the American Museum of Natural History.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...the-next-room/
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Old 22-09-2015, 09:21
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Putting the boot into Creationism and something to think about when chewing a toffee.

http://io9.com/8-scientific-discover...eal-1729902558

http://io9.com/your-jaw-is-basically...ill-1732054980

More on the remarkable Pareiasaur Bunostegos akokanensis.

http://phenomena.nationalgeographic....-upright-legs/
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