Fossils foot bones hint at mystery walker

[frankiej]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17533826

Scientists have obtained a fascinating new insight into the evolution of humans and our ability to walk.

It comes from the fossilised bones of a foot that were discovered in Ethiopia and dated to be 3.4 million years old.

[Minimalist]

I looked at that too fast and thought it said "wanker."

[frankiej]

I do love a bit of mystery wanking.

[Chuff]

"fossilised boner hints at mystery wanker..."

[BoyWonder]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17533826

Scientists have obtained a fascinating new insight into the evolution of humans and our ability to walk.

It comes from the fossilised bones of a foot that were discovered in Ethiopia and dated to be 3.4 million years old.

Those fossilized bones of a foot that you refer to – http://www.nature.com/news/ancient-human-ancestor-had-feet-like-an-ape-1.10342 – have an opposable big toe, indicating that the owner spent more time climbing trees than walking upright on the ground. Fragmentary associated bones however suggest the rest of its skeleton was much like Lucy's, an australopithecus afarensis, which was an upright walking hominin that spent most of its time on the ground.

So around 3,4 MYA, in Ethiopia, at least 2 different species of hominin lived at the same time, side by side, in the same landscape. So although the suggestion is that the as yet unnamed tree-climbing australopithecine went extinct, I consider it more likely that the two species hybridized, or 'merged' (if they could catch it they could screw it). In that scenario neither disappeared but their hybrids went on to evolve into homo habilis, almost a million years later.

[R-e-n-n-a-t]

Transitional forms FTW!
Too bad the fundies are still waiting for a croco-duck. Morons.

[BoyWonder]

Transitional forms FTW!

Aren't all species?

[R-e-n-n-a-t]

Yes, continually.
However, the idiots will never believe that, and unfortunately we need them to believe that before we can gain complete political power.

Now's when we start chanting "Ia! Ia! Fthagn! Cthulhu Fthagn!"

[Cinjin]

Damnit! now I want a croco-duck!


they sound AWESOME!

[Minimalist]

Damnit! now I want a croco-duck!


they sound AWESOME!

All you need to know about crocoducks from Freethoughtpedia

http://freethoughtpedia.com/wiki/Crocoduck

Rarely seen except in the hands of certain fundamental evangelicals, the elusive "Crocoduck" has been fabled to be the theological deal-breaker Christians demand to prove evolution is legitimate.