...with one hell of a bush!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8285180.stm

- Found this fascinating, not chimp, not human, but evolution at its most transitional: Ardipithecus ramidus.
On a sidenote, does anyone here disbelieve Evolutionism?

One of the interesting developments in that field in the last few years has been the shift in theory towards modern apes and us have a common extinct ancestor much more similar to us than them. It alludes to much more numerous possible homonid species (like the neanderthals) that probably existed over a long span of time before one of them got lucky with environmental timing, discovered agriculture, and really took off.

The naive understanding of evolution has that presumption of their being a lesser to greater progression, but this may serve as a useful example of actual paths into niche domination instead of towards some external, objective "betterness."

Damn, I was hoping to post this first ... was at the press conference this morning and while its 17 years after the find its still pretty amazing.

We sat down with Tim White for Discovery Canada's "Daily Planet" (and this interview will be as-live this evening if anyone in Canada wants to watch!) and he was saying he thinks the split period between humans and apes was probably 6-7 million years ago, so there's another 2 million year gap they hope to unlock with a new skeleton discovery one day.

Malse's comment that evolution being lesser to greater progression is also summed up best with the fact that we no longer can pick shit up with our feet like Ardi could, an obvious step backwards as anyone who has tried to drive, eat dinner, and send a text message could attest - having 4 limbs instead of 2 in that scenario would be invaluable!

I think its also safe to say that evolution is the only possible path, and while there may be a higher power who put it all in order or who started the chain or what have you, its not entirely likely humans were walking around with dinosaurs as pets or whatever that crap Sarah Palin believed.

On that note approximately 30% of modern humans still have meaningfully prehensile toes. This trait is noticeably more common in some Asian ethnicities, but can be found worldwide. Usually it is the larger two toes that still have some range of actuation, but there are individuals who can type with their feet.

I can pick things up with my feet, provided the object isn't larger than an inch in diameter, and weighs no more than 2 lbs.

I find it a particularly useful way to pick up clothes off the floor without having to bend over to do it. LOL.

Interesting story. Makes you appreciate how lucky our ancestors were to have the right climate, ability to understand agriculture, and no virulent diseases, for a prolonged period, to allow them to propagate the species.

Well, truth be told, I doubt anyone here would doubt the missing link between ape and human was you Sixee :p

The suggested reasoning behind Ardi's toes was that they could walk on their hind legs, but probably spent most of their time in the trees hiding from scary shit on the ground.

*flings poo at Kelraz*

Uh.. where do hobbits fit in this?

Uh.. where do hobbits fit in this?

Right up your..........!

Honestly thats a neat question. Ive long held the speculation that while our modern concept may be based in fantasy there could be the real possibility of special memory involved. think early european pygmy.

Stick a hobbit up your own ass!