Know Your Primate: Anoiapithecus brevirostris

Order: Primates Suborder: Haplorrhini Family: Hominidae Subfamily: incertae sedis Tribe: Dryopithecini Genus: Anoiapithecus Species: Anoiapithecus brevirostris I have chosen Anoiapithecus brevirostris for this week’s “know Your Primate” because a paper on it has recently been published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The paper, by Alba, Fortuny, and Moya-Sola, looks at enamel thickness [...]

New Innovation in Carbon Dating

According to Science Daily a new innovation in radiocarbon dating – or an extension of a previous method is being presented at the 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Begging for an Article

Can someone send me the article below: The complete mitochondrial DNA genome of an unknown hominin from southern Siberia doi:10.1038/nature08976 http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature08976.html Here is the abstract: With the exception of Neanderthals, from which DNA sequences of numerous individuals have now been determined1, the number and genetic relationships of other hominin lineages are largely unknown. Here we [...]

Things You Would Like To See

Science Daily has an item concerning the Laetoli foot print study in PLoS One. One bit stands out: The subjects walked both with normal, erect human gaits and then with crouched, chimpanzee-like gaits. Film of the latter would be interesting – lord knows we were disappointed with last year’s Ardipithecus special on that score… Speaking [...]

Is Genetics and Archaeology a Replay of Genes vs Morphology?

I’m a bit under the weather with some kind of icky cold/sinus thing so I haven’t been writing much and when I do feel up to it I will have a lot to write about. I couldn’t pass up the chance to mention this post on genetics and archaeology by Hawks. It is very interesting…

Know Your Primate: Pongo abelii

Order: Primates Suborder: Haplorrhini Family: Hominidae Genus: Pongo Species: Pongo abelii Common Name: Sumatran Orangutan The sumatran orang lives, obviously, in Sumatra – they are an endemic species. According several genetic analysis the Sumatran and Bornean populations diverged from each other about 1.5-1.7 MYA. They are largely frugivorous and spend most of their time in [...]

NPR Science Friday: Update

As I have previously mentioned NPR’s Science Friday is coming to St. Louis on March 12th. Last I heard tickets were all spoken for but earlier this week a pair of tickets arrived in the mail. So, Mrs. afarensis and I will be attending.

What is Wrong With America

Too many people believe this:

Begging for Yet Another Article: The Second Ida Paper

Can some one send me a copy of the article below? New perspectives on anthropoid origins Blythe A. Williamsa,1, Richard F. Kaya, and E. Christopher Kirkb http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/03/05/0908320107 This is the second Ida article – I’ve been waiting for this one to come out before blogging about recent developments concerning Ida afarensis1@sbcglobal.net

Book Review: Vampire Forensics: Uncovering the Origins of an Enduring Legend

Then, when we had got down to the sea shore we drew our ship into the water and got her mast and sails into her; we also put the sheep on board and took our places, weeping and in great distress of mind. Circe, that great and cunning goddess, sent us a fair wind that [...]

Know Your Primate: Lophocebus aterrimus

Order Primates Suborder Haplorrhini Family Cercopithecidae Subfamily Cercopithecinae Genus Lophocebus Species Lophocebus aterrimus Common Name: Black Mangabey, Black-crested Mangabey

Which Science Fiction Writer Are You?

I am: Hal Clement (Harry C. Stubbs) A quiet and underrated master of “hard science” fiction who, among other things, foresaw integrated circuits back in the 1940s. Which science fiction writer are you? Woot! I Love Hal Clement! Not as much as Cordwainer Smith but still…

Christian Fail: Biblically Endorsed Euthanasia

Words fail me: Chalk another death up to animal rights insanity and to the ongoing failure of the West to take counsel on practical matters from the Scripture.

Begging for an Article

Can someone send me a copy of the paper below: Williams, B., Kay, R., Christopher Kirk, E., & Ross, C. (2010). Darwinius masillae is a strepsirrhine–a reply to Franzen et al. (2009) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2010.01.003 Follow the link below for an explanation of what it means: New Study Confirms That “Ida” is Not Our Great-Great-Great-Great-Etc. Grandmother Thanks!