Of Hobbits and Humans

I have been following this issue since day 1. The skull, while interesting does not explain any of the other anomalies in the wrists and other bones found on Flores. Variation in Isolation causes speciation. Just because you can't locate the transitional forms does not mean that evolution does not occur. By the same token calling a sub-species or species unchanged from the accepted range of variation for a species or sub-species, when it clearly is different, is fundalmentalist thinking, not scientific thinking and needs to be ignored. The proof of a new species or sub-species is clear, the argument against is about as clear as mud. The only question is that of reproductive compatibility ie. species or sub-species. Island forms are often small. Is there a close relation between the two islands? Has the DNA been checked or are we still whistling in the wind?

Granted a scientific point of view requires isolation from some rediculious conclusions that does not mean we should not keep an open mind to multiple possibilities. I would have to agree with The Quietman although quiet is one thing he is not is quiet, I would particularly look at similarities of the islands and for the life of me im oh so curious about the DNA. One idea is approach the subject like a crime, look for multiple possibilities. It would seem that for science to be an origionally infinite study that scientists currently are far too narow minded, but thats just my point of view.

~Taio~

Just looking at the Palauan skull it compares better to H. habilis than to H. sapiens (brow ridges too shallow for H. erectue) but as we know, H. habilis has never been found outside Africa. Compared to the H. sapiens skull, it has a low dome and prominant brow ridges, with a definate slope to the forehead (not an H. sapiens characteristic).

Taio - the handle refers to the John Wayne character in the movie by that name as in being non-violent.

Well im am exstatic to find someone with an outgoing point of view. I am curious though do you think there is a good possibility that we might later in time find more H. habilis just outside of africa? or even further? I am also curious even though it takes multiple millions of years to develop perdominant eveloutionary traits if other species can do it in a much shorter span of time to adapt to there environment would it be so hard to believe that we did the same under different conditions? One other thing im curious about is what if we found one particular fossil that showed perdominant trait differences that happend to be disfigured or an anomaly?

Quietman- Yes indeed the 1952 classic in that case you might call me Red :) Pleasure retorting to thee as usual.

~Taio~

H. habilis is older than erectue but also coexisted with them. H. erectus is found all over Asia, SE Asia , Eastern Europe and Africa. Since habilis coexisted for quite some time there is no logical reason not to find it in Asia either. But that is outside the issue.

There is no good reason for either suggesting a short time to evolve or that one is ancestral to the other. If they did not evolve from H. Sapiens but erectus or habilis then they had plenty of time and could have diverged at any point. For all we know they could even be ancestral chimps (read Filler). That is why the DNA should be tested to resolve this issue.

I do not recall discussions with you as either Taio or Red, although I do remember some heated but friendly oral discussions with a Rusty. :-)

Also, if according to Dr. Filler's book, rapid evolution can and has happened and he explains how.

S. J. Goulds work on P.E. also explains tis idea of rapid changes and Darwin also mentioned the idea in "On the Origin of Species" but did not have the tools we have today to expond upon it. In other words, it's not a novel idea.

The novel idea is that we developed the upright bipedal stance with Morotopithecus before our divergence from the other great apes (Filler 2007).

More recent finds also show evidence of an upright stance in other ancient apes.

The big problem is the scarcity of hominid fossils in southern asia. I beleive this is due more to the climatic conditions of the southern regions (mostly jungles at the time) than anything else. Large predators were latecomers to Africa, well after primates migrated there from Asia, but not so in Asia, making the remains of primates a rare thing but at the same time giving our ancestors a safe haven in Africa (from Chris Baird's recent book). These islands may indeed be the best place to find fossils of evolved non-sapien hominids.

BTW - Red as in Maureen O'Hara.? You may have me confused with one of the other quietmen: Professor J Roe, John "The Quietman" Ruíz, Wilf Frost and L.P Elliot-Potter or the quietman that does not capitalize Q. My alternate handles are "Quietman" or simply "Ed". So if you are not ct then we most likely have not corresponded before this. I could not use Quietman here because it was already in use.

not only is this just cool but all the amputies coming from war will now(soon) have a normal life. Kargo 1 out of 1 people found this comment helpful Cargo second is power i wonder what kind of battery pack it requires to run one of thosett