In Pictures: 'New Primate Fossil Unveiled'

By James Wray May 19, 2009, 18:26 GMT

Two women look over the newly unveiled 47-million-year-old fossil primate, which scientist are suggesting may be a human ancestor, in New York, New York, USA, on 19 May 2009. The nearly complete fossil, known as 'Ida', is 20 times older than most fossils that provide evidence for human evolution. The fossil displays characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line but, scientists say, is more related to the human evolutionary line. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

A view of the newly unveiled 47-million-year-old fossil primate, which scientist are suggesting may be a human ancestor, in New York, New York, USA, on 19 May 2009. The nearly complete fossil, known as 'Ida', is 20 times older than most fossils that provide evidence for human evolution. The fossil displays characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line but, scientists say, is more related to the human evolutionary line. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

Paleontologist Jorn Hurum (R), of the University of Oslo Natural History Museum, speaks during a press conference with a photograph of a 47-million-year-old fossil primate, which scientist are suggesting may be a human ancestor, in New York, New York, USA, on 19 May 2009. The nearly complete fossil, known as 'Ida', is 20 times older than most fossils that provide evidence for human evolution. The fossil displays characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line but, scientists say, is more related to the human evolutionary line. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

From left, Dr. Holly Smith, an associate professor at the Museum of Anthropology at the University of Michigan, Dr. Jens Franzen, of the Senckenberg Research Institute, and Jorn Hurum, of the University of Oslo Natural History Museum, during a press conference at the American Museum of Natural History about a 47-million-year-old fossil primate, which scientist are suggesting may be a human ancestor, in New York, New York, USA, on 19 May 2009. The nearly complete fossil, known as 'Ida', is 20 times older than most fossils that provide evidence for human evolution. The fossil displays characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line but, scientists say, is more related to the human evolutionary line. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (2-L) talks with Norwegian paleontologist Jorn Hurum (3-L), of the University of Oslo Natural History Museum, as they look at the newly unveiled 47-million-year-old fossil primate, which scientist are suggesting may be a human ancestor, in New York, New York, USA, on 19 May 2009. The nearly complete fossil, known as 'Ida', is 20 times older than most fossils that provide evidence for human evolution. The fossil displays characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line but, scientists say, is more related to the human evolutionary line. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

Dr. Jens Franzen (R), of the Senckenberg Research Institute, speaks during a press conference at the American Museum of Natural History with a photograph of a 47-million-year-old fossil primate, which scientist are suggesting may be a human ancestor, in New York, New York, USA, on 19 May 2009. The nearly complete fossil, known as 'Ida', is 20 times older than most fossils that provide evidence for human evolution. The fossil displays characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line but, scientists say, is more related to the human evolutionary line. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

Paleontologist Jorn Hurum, of the University of Oslo Natural History Museum, speaks during a press conference at the American Museum of Natural History with a photograph of Charles Darwin while discussing a 47-million-year-old fossil primate, which scientist are suggesting may be a human ancestor, in New York, New York, USA, on 19 May 2009. The nearly complete fossil, known as 'Ida', is 20 times older than most fossils that provide evidence for human evolution. The fossil displays characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line but, scientists say, is more related to the human evolutionary line. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

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JWCMay 19th, 2009 - 19:07:05

I'm surprised people still believe in this bunk. This fossil proves one thing and one thing only ... it died. Remember that 'missing link' Piltdown Man? Hoax. The only 'missing link' is between the ears of these 'scientists'. Give it a few years and the 'proof' of this missing link will be as extinct as the fossil.

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DGMay 19th, 2009 - 23:02:19

I'm surprised anyone would hold up the Piltdown Man hoax as evidence of anything regarding evolution or archeaology. There are a lot of things people believed in 1912 that we know now aren't true, and evidence of evolution has only grown since then, not stood still. What Piltdown Man does demonstrate is that the con artist is with us always, as are the huckster and racial prejudice, and that in 1912 and for 40 years after the experts had limited tools.

But even at the time there were skeptics, and they grew in number while the world waited for the technology and body of knowledge that would make modern archaeology as valid a science as it currently is, part of which are the lessons learned from famous fakes. Start with the fact the Piltdown bones were obviously reassembled rather than discovered in situ, as noted in 1915 by zoologist Gerrit Miller Jr. of the United States National Museum (and later the Smithsonian Institution). Over time more and more real scientists, once they could travel to see the thing, regarded it as a bizaare and inconsistent artifact. Science always has to be wary of letting culture and prejudice enter in, but in the early 1900's all fields of study and religion were still riddled with unacknowledged cultural and racial agendas, among which was the desire of many people to 'prove' their nation was the origin point for modern man.

And in 1912 many scientists were still off-base in postulating that the larger human brain had evolved ahead of our modern omnivorous diets, back when humans were vegetarians. Learning differently was just one more step along the way. But at the time the hoaxster's use of a skull from the Middle Ages appealed to some who wanted 'proof' of that idea for cultural reasons. It wasn't until the 1930's and 1940's that dating techniques were developed that could prove this.

Charles Dawson was a prime suspect at the time, though there were and remain others. Investigations of his 'antiquities' using better technology and the better science that has developed since shows that the guy perpetrated hoaxes throughout his career. It was known even in his lifetime that he aged flints and fossils with chemicals, and filed teeth into shapes that fit theories about his 'discoveries'. At least 38 pieces of his collection are demonstrable fakes. Dr. Miles Russell of Bournemouth University identified them as such and announced his opinion that the Piltdown Man was essentially 'the culmination of a life's work' as far as Dawson must have been concerned.

In 1924 the Taung Child was discovered, and throughout the 1920's bits and pieces of the Peking Man skull were assembled from the dig in Zhoukoudian, China. These pieces and other bits added more evidence that Piltdown was a fraud. Science learns from its mistakes. Anyone who doubts the dating of artifacts nowadays and says so online isn't using their computer to educate themselves. And that's a real pity. If you think the science of 1912 is the standard by which to judge the science of today, by all means help yourself to the medical care, dental care, and voting rights of 1912. Either that or accept that human knowledge doesn't stand still for your personal prejudices. Or because of them.

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AmericanSDL.comMay 19th, 2009 - 23:26:53

In this day and age when the mooing masses see something on TV it must be truth. In this day and age when science is by consensus we can expect this find to be considered gospel without it ever being analyzed or reaserched by the scientific community. What wil happen is it will be embraced by the scientific consensus community with open arms and any attempt to question this find will be met with 'its real get over it'.

It is truly sad to see science come full circle. That is to say, once it was the voice of reason and truth against a religious monopoly on information that did not suffer dissent with its interpretation of the world it controlled. Now, science sees earth as the center of the universe and it (science) does not suffer dissent with its interpretation of the world it wishes to control.

There is no one to challenge 'the science by consensus crowd' because the media, their ideological friends, protect them. Take for instance the 'Big Bang'. It is alleged to be the definitive explantion of how the universe was created. Yet the 'science by consensus crowd' cannot explain how from absolute 0 can Space, Matter, and Energy be created in order for the 'Big Bang' to happen. Now if they, 'the science by consensus crowd' points to string theory to explain the other 'Big Bang' theory then tell them about my, Jeff Slough, discovery of the 'Law of Everything'.

It is simply this; Space, Matter, and Energy x 3D = The Law of Everything.

Any theory that uses time as a fourth dimension is false. Nowhere in factual science (much different than science by consensus)does time exist. Time is the crutch used by all scientific theorist to lean their sci-fi dreams upon. I could go on and on but the science of consensus wouldn't listen anyway. To all of you who do, thank you.

Jeff L. Slough

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DGMay 19th, 2009 - 23:50:28

Well, for those with the self-discipline to actually go study this for themselves, you'll find some stalwart evidence against 'consensus science' if you simply read David Attenborough's essay on this find. I'd post the link here but this site doesn't permit it, so look him up.

By the way, anyone who gets their science education (or any other education) purely from the mass media is either lazy or naive.

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FrankMay 20th, 2009 - 17:38:50

I'm not so sure that 'Piltdown Man' isn't EXACTLY the analogy we should be drawing here. There are many things about this 'find' that I find, well, curious.

First and foremost is the inconvenient fact that fully articulated mammalian skeletons are simply not found - not even in graves!

The chances of a 'skin shadow' surviving for 47 MY is unprecedented, and while stomach contents, even older than these are purported to be, are not, they are almost always associated with dinosaurs that have eaten other dinosaurs!

The area from which this thing allegedly originates has yielded Eocene mammals, yes, but never anything nearly as complete. And the tale that this thing was circulating in parts and then magically brought back together sounds very fishy.

The find was apparently 'kept secret' (huh?) until, a movie, a book and a dog-and-pony show were all produced, out of the public eye and out of the eye of peer review?

Where is all the peer reviewed science? Where are the Google hits questioning the veracity of the find? Go search, you won't find any!

This is all too perfect for me to swallow 'stomach contents and all.'

In fact, I will go on record here, as one who does not believe the 47 MYO fossil being hailed as the 'missing link' is indeed the genuine article. Until I do my own research into the provenance of the thing, I will consider it quite literally 'incredible' and I won't be surprised at all to be calling in time, an utter hoax.

I will heading up to the AMNH this week with Nikon in hand to see this thing for myself. I want the pics for posterity - for when 'Ida' goes down with Piltdown.

I only hope it doesn't take the discipline with it.

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John StockwellMay 21st, 2009 - 19:12:12

Frank,

The state of preservation of fossils from the Grube Messel site in Germany
is well-known. The preservation of original biological material, stomach
contents, and skin shadows has been observed in other fossils from this site. Search on 'Grube Messel'.

-John

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John StockwellMay 21st, 2009 - 19:18:16

And Frank,

Search on 'Complete Primate Skeleton from the Middle Eocene of Messel in Germany: Morphology and Paleobiology'

which is the title of the peer reviewed research paper dealing with the fossil.

-John

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EMILY WMay 23rd, 2009 - 07:02:32

THIS IS SO RELATED TO THE MAYAN CALANDER.. AND THE I CHING BOOK AND WHAT TERRANCE MCKENNA WAS STUDYING... THESE ARE ALL DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PLACES TALKING ABOUT THIS.. THIS IS REAL.. THIS HAS TO BE RELATED TO THE 2012 DOOMSDAY.. THERE R REAL CONNECTIONS LEADING UP TO DOOMSDAY.. 12/21/2012... READ UP ON THIS, IS IT ALL TO REAL!!

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ADJul 13th, 2009 - 07:28:25

Everything that exists is related. The existence of the first thing, substance, material, etc., is beyond human comprehension, especially if it had to always have been in existence. As is the axiom, something cannot come from nothing. Following the evolutionary process back to its very beginnings, begs the question, where did the first 'something' come from? and for that to have happened, it would have to have been supernatural.

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