Is this our ancestor?

[kaizasosei]

Any thoughts on the fossil Ida? Here the link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwinius_masillae


when i first saw it, i did think that it had very many human features like the hands and fingers and bones of the leg.

 

[Nolerama]

Great Great (^eleventybillion) Grand Ma?

Howcome you never send me birthday money? Oh yeah, you're a fossil!

That's pretty cool. But if evolution is true, then our ancestors also include fish, and amoebas.

So it's not so much as "wow, this mammal fossil is our ancestor" as much as some people believing that they are beyond the simple animals they are. Noting primates or protoprimates as ancestors can give some a point of reference they are unhappy with... and especially today, they would rather believe something else.

But then again, who cares? Our perspective on reality is what we make of it.

 

[kaizasosei]

so true Nolerama, so true.

I did think the fingers looked funky though. At first i was sure it was one of those fakes that people put together from various creatures...

I definately can believe that all of life is connected. I have heard that male genomes are passed on and remain the same for ages if not ever?.- For example, it is possible to know exactly who the decendants of ghangis khan are because, having samples of his dna, his offspring(like half of mongolia-who knows the rest of the world-ok,not half but way many,,)
Even though it is thousands of years ago, his genetic signature is still preserved in living decendants. Quite remarkable, i find.

Got me thinking about the whole origin thing when it was mentioned that apes are not 'our ancestor' actually but that our roots diverged from the primate line long ago.

j

 

[Ken Morgan]

so true Nolerama, so true.

I did think the fingers looked funky though. At first i was sure it was one of those fakes that people put together from various creatures...

I definately can believe that all of life is connected. I have heard that male genomes are passed on and remain the same for ages if not ever?.- For example, it is possible to know exactly who the decendants of ghangis khan are because, having samples of his dna, his offspring(like half of mongolia-who knows the rest of the world-ok,not half but way many,,)
Even though it is thousands of years ago, his genetic signature is still preserved in living decendants. Quite remarkable, i find.

Got me thinking about the whole origin thing when it was mentioned that apes are not 'our ancestor' actually but that our roots diverged from the primate line long ago.

j

Yeah apparently he and his line have about 16 000 000 descendants or something running around. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/02/0214_030214_genghis.html

?? No one has ever said our ancestors were apes. What is true however is that we have a common ancestor. http://richarddawkins.net/article,4063,RDF-TV---Nebraska-Vignettes-2---Why-are-there-still-Chimpanzees,Richard-Dawkins-Josh-Timonen-Judy-Diamond-RDFRS