Is "Ida" the missing link?
A team of researchers Tuesday unveiled an almost perfectly intact fossil of a 47 million-year-old primate they say represents the long-sought missing link between humans and apes.
Officially known as Darwinius masillae, the fossil of the lemur-like creature dubbed Ida shows it had opposable thumbs like humans and fingernails instead of claws. Scientists say the cat-sized animal's hind legs offer evidence of evolutionary changes that led to primates standing upright - a breakthrough that could finally confirm Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
"This specimen is like finding the Lost Ark for archeologists," lead scientist Jorn Hurum said at a ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History.
"It is the scientific equivalent of the Holy Grail. This fossil will probably be the one that will be pictured in all textbooks for the next 100 years."
A book release and a slew of other documentaries will follow.
Read more: www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/05/19/2009-05-19_missing_link_fou...
Ida could simply be a lot of hype
It reminds me of that "creature" that washed up on the Jersey shore that the locals swore was the Jersey Devil ... ended up being a mangled dog.
At any rate - the fossil is a very important find, and from what I've read - one of the most well preserved fossil primates ever unearthed. However, some of the 'science' included in the PLoS paper leaves some researchers in the field questioning the conclusions drawn, and wondering if the researchers 'sold out'.
Check out Brian Switek's latest blog entry for some detailed commentaries ....
http://scienceblogs.com/laelaps/2009/05/poor_poor_ida_or_overselling_a.php
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