Saturday, October 3, 2009

Breakthrough in Human's Evolutionary History
























Science has published a 17-year study of the oldest known skeleton of a putative human ancestor, widening the evolutionary gap between humans and chimps.

40+ researchers from 11 countries studied Ardipithecus ramidus, and discovered it had a brain and body like a chimpanzee, had hands much more like a human than a chimp or ape, and walked upright. The find is incredible as scientists had anticipated the ancestors of humans to be an intermediary between a chimp (man's closest genetic cousin) and man. This means that as of now, science believes man and chimps common ancestor was neither human, nor chimpanzee, but a distinct, separate species from which apes, chimps, and humans evolved.

Here's NBC Nightly News video.

1 comment:

Lignes Reve said...

This concept is nothing new. Of course the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees was neither human nor chimp. Though in appearance it was probably closer to chimps (this is the biological definition of primitive). Evidence has never indicated that humans evolved from chimps but a common ancestor. This is a common misconception among evolution skeptics.
Also "science believes" is an incorrect phrase because science does not believe anything. Science has theories founded on evidence, simple as that. Some theories contradict others but only evidence can reveal the most accurate theory. You probably wrote that for lack of a better expression but next time I suggest you write something like "evidence suggests".
No disrespect but I just wanted to get that out because I see these incorrect associations a lot.