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Old bones are apelike human

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  1. #1

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    Has RevJay been banned?

    It is interesting, but what puzzles me is that although I can understand the foot and hand analysis, how do they determine the way the brain was organised? Surely the brain was not fossilised in a form that could be analysed?

    Last edited by hullexile; 10-09-2011 at 08:54 AM.

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    I know plenty of religious people who have no trouble accepting evolution as well. It's only those oddballs in the USA who want to make a big deal out of creationism - and make themselves look foolish at the same time!


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    Quote Originally Posted by hullexile:
    It is interesting, but what puzzles me is that although I can understand the foot and hand analysis, how do they determine the way the brain was organised? Surely the brain was not fossilised in a form that could be analysed?
    Presumably from the shape of the skull cavity that contained the brain. They're looking at the shape of it rather than the fossilised remains of the brain itself I guess.

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    My quick read of the article this morning gave me the impression that while this is an interesting find, the direct 'link' to the homo genus is a bit tenuous and seems to be based primarily on the shape of the hips; under the theory that the larger hips allowed descendents of this tiny-brained thing to larger brains resulting in all of us geoexpaters spending our days in front of a computer screen. Not exactly compelling proof but quite interesting none-the-less.

    The thought of this distant possible ancestor reminds me of this brilliant article from Slate published around last year's Mother's Day (early May in the USA). I thought it was quite inspiring - it actually made me feel like crying:

    An ode to my matriarchs, every last one. - By David Eagleman - Slate Magazine


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    Quote Originally Posted by hullexile:
    Has RevJay been banned?

    It is interesting, but what puzzles me is that although I can understand the foot and hand analysis, how do they determine the way the brain was organised? Surely the brain was not fossilised in a form that could be analysed?
    I'm going way back to A-level Human Biology but I remember that it's possible to read the convolution pattern of the brain imprinted on the interior of the skull. Generally speaking, more convolutions = more surface area = smarter!! I'm quite sure I'm oversimplifying it but that's the general idea..

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    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    I know plenty of religious people who have no trouble accepting evolution as well. It's only those oddballs in the USA who want to make a big deal out of creationism - and make themselves look foolish at the same time!
    As a Christian I would say this:

    I believe in evolution
    I don't believe in The Old Testament
    The New Testament was written by men and has suffered in translation through time and language

    I believe that the universe being created by God is no more or less crazy an idea than the universe spontaneously popping into existence from a singularity - on balance I prefer my belief.
    hullexile likes this.

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    Agree to everything Bryant said.

    Thanks for the input on the brain issue. I am always dubious when people try and fit slim evidence to a theory (as in the infamous evidence that men have bigger brains than women, white people have bigger brains than black people, etc.).


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    Quote Originally Posted by bryant.english:
    I believe that the universe being created by God is no more or less crazy an idea than the universe spontaneously popping into existence from a singularity - on balance I prefer my belief.
    Except that one theory can actually be studied and observed scientifically, while the other just exists because people blindly believe in it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skinnypupp:
    Except that one theory can actually be studied and observed scientifically, while the other just exists because people blindly believe in it.
    Don't really want to get into this but how would you study and observe the first milliseconds of the creation of the universe and more importantly the milliseconds before the creation of the universe?
    Last edited by hullexile; 10-09-2011 at 12:10 PM.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by hullexile:
    Don't really want to get into this but how would you study and observe the first milliseconds of the creation of the universe and more importantly the milliseconds before the creation of the universe?
    Same way you can study and observe an old skull that existed 2 million years ago. The object itself may not be there any more, but evidence of it will exist.

    As for HOW it can be studied, that is for smarter men than me. The fact that it CAN be studied is what makes it important to me.
    Last edited by Skinnypupp; 10-09-2011 at 12:19 PM.

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