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Monday, May 12, 01:24:03amLogin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 123456789[10] ]
Subject: A Question Regarding Hominid Evolution


Author:
Ben
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Date Posted: 07/24/02 9:45am

Hi all,

This is probably one for the scientists on our board (Brian, are you out there?), but anyone is welcome to attempt an answer.

I get Time magazine, and I just read an article about a new hominid skull they found which they have dated to be around 6 or 7 million years old, making it the oldest one ever discovered. The thing that confused me was that the article indicated that many scientists question whether hominids evolved in a straight line up to humans, and are thinking that perhaps it happened more like a bush (some hominids evolving, then seeing their line die out, and even being in competition with other hominid lines).

The thing that confused me about this was... I thought it was already understood that _all_ evolution operated in this bush-like way. Have scientists really thought that hominid evolution could have happened in some straight line without any failed attempts? Overall, I'm really asking if the person who wrote this article knew what he was talking about or not. Has the thinking really been that hominids have evolved in a line, or has this guy just been in the dark on current evolutionary thinking?

Thanks,
Ben

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Subject Author Date
Hominid evolutionKarl08/23/02 2:32am


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