Primate Canines: Weapons or Display?

Science Daily has an interesting item called Canine Tooth Strength Provides Clues To Behavior Of Early Human Ancestors. It concerns a recent analysis of primate canine strength by Michael Plavcan and Christopher Ruff:

A Field Trip to Kimmswick

Brian’s post about Albert Koch reminded me that there is an interesting archaeology site just 30 miles from my house. I should mention, before going further, that Brian’s post leaves off just wwhen things at Kimmswick were getting interesting. In the early 1940’s Robert McCormick Adams did a number of excavations at Kimmswick. One of his notable finds was that of a clovis point several layers above a mastodon. In 1979, 1980, and 1984 excavations were performed at Kimmswick under the sponsorship of the Illinois State Museum. The digs were led by Russell W. Graham and led in the finding of clovis point in direct association with mastodon bones. Incidentally, Graham in one of the people behind Faunmap. With that in mind, I thought it would be nice to take my readers on a (virtual) field trip to the museum at Kimmswick. So, put on your name tags, pair up with your previously assigned buddy and get on the bus.

There are a few rules you will need to follow for your safety. First, no throwing paper airplanes (unless they have writing about science on them). Second, no throwing of any other kind of item (unless they are archaeologically related some how). Third, well, I can’t think of a third rule.

Sarcopterygian Puke and Ornithopod Gastroliths

Yesterday’s somewhat silly post about Ventastega and ERV reminded me of a couple of interesting pictures that I have recently stumbled across.

Being Afarensis

Last night, when I heard about Ventastega curonica I was quite excited. I have written a few posts about tetrapods. My plan was to track down the Nature article and write a couple of posts about it.

Hindered Settling: An Excellent Geology Blog

Hindered Settling is an excellent geology blog, which just came to my attention today. The blog is subtitled “Webnotes of a Skeptical Geologist” and that is what you get. Plus a lot of interesting stuff on sedimentology, bedding planes, trace fossils and whatever else Zoltán Sylvester can think of. Heck, the fact that he came up with this link alone makes the blog worth reading on a regular basis. Add to that the interesting series on parabolic dunes (which dovetails neatly with something I will be blogging about in the next couple of days, so go read the series) and you have a must read blog.

Pensacola Christian College in the News Again

The Department of Justice Inspector General released the results of an investigation yesterday and it contains some interesting material. Notably, the stuff concerning Esther Slater McDonald, who, according to the report:

The Logical End Result of Repatriation Laws?

Nature has an interesting news item called Online anthropology draws protest from aboriginal group:

Good News For Iraq and Other Interesting Anthropology News

Jordan announced on Sunday that it was returning approximately 2,500 artifacts that had been looted from Iraq:

Return of the Projectile Points

My recent post on projectile points caused a little bit of controversy, so I thought I would weigh in on the subject. I apologize in advance for the lateness of the response, I have been quite busy.

Book Review: Einstein for the 21st Century: His Legacy in Science, Art, and Modern Culture

Why is an anthropology blogger doing a book review on a book about Albert Einstein? The answer can be found in the book, and if I were mean I would tell you to figure it out on your own. Since I’m not mean, although you should still buy the book and read it, I will tell you. While at the ETH in Zurich, Einstein took (elective) classes in the “…prehistory of man, geology of mountains, politics and culture history of Switzerland,… social consequences of free competition…” among other things. We also find out that Einstein had read Darwin.