Althouse: "This may be the first time that such routine fossil damage has been interpreted as evidence of tree dwelling and death by falling."

August 30, 2016

"This may be the first time that such routine fossil damage has been interpreted as evidence of tree dwelling and death by falling."

"For good reason. If palaeontologists were to apply the same logic and assertion to the many mammals whose fossilised bones have been distorted by geological forces, we would have everything from gazelles to hippos, rhinos, and elephants climbing and falling from high trees."

From "Archaeologists are fuming over a new study about how early hominin Lucy died."

25 comments:

campy said...: "... a new study about how early hominin Lucy died."

I thought that was obvious: violence inspired by Trump.; 8/30/16, 9:39 AM
Fernandinande said...: she fell from a tree.

Was probably hanging with Keith Richards, who appears to be about 3 million years old.; 8/30/16, 10:04 AM
Richard Dolan said...: Why are you calling the dearly departed Lucy? Just as likely s/he preferred Luke. Anyone paying the slightest attention knows that the self-gendered Lukes of this world are more likely to climb up and then fall out of trees.; 8/30/16, 10:10 AM
David said...: Actually I think she fell off the turnip truck.; 8/30/16, 10:13 AM
Bob Ellison said...: "Fuming Archaeologists" WBAGNFARB.; 8/30/16, 10:15 AM
William said...: How do we know she wasn't pushed? We will probably never know the true story behind this tragic event.; 8/30/16, 10:18 AM
Gabriel said...: Creationist bait.; 8/30/16, 10:21 AM
eric said...: When your entire job is to make up stories to fill giant gaping holes in knowledge, well, everyone is going to have a different story to tell. It gets boring telling the same old story again and again.; 8/30/16, 10:25 AM
n.n said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/30/16, 11:06 AM
n.n said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/30/16, 11:09 AM
n.n said...: Conflation through correlation is the bane of "secular" science.; 8/30/16, 11:09 AM
Wince said...: Picture yourself in the Afar Triangle
With dragon trees and marmalade skies
Somebody excavates you, you reveal your secrets quite slowly
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes

Archeologists with theories of yellow and green
Towering over your head
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes
And she's gone

Lucy fell out of the sky with diamonds; 8/30/16, 11:44 AM
traditionalguy said...: But, but the narrative that monkeys living in trees fell out and evolved into homo sapiens must be defended to the death. Or creationist by design guys will win another battle in this War. No wonder the truth in science guys are starting another big fight.

You want to see a fight, just mention that the real level of Global Warming claimed hoax sea level rise is negative.; 8/30/16, 12:00 PM
Paddy O said...: "When your entire job is to make up stories to fill giant gaping holes in knowledge..."

Some Learned Fables, For Good Old Boys and Girls.

My favorite Mark Twain story.; 8/30/16, 12:04 PM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Listening to a lecture series on primatology, I found out only just recently that apes swing below tree branches while monkeys scamper on top of tree branches.

You're welcome.; 8/30/16, 12:13 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: "If palaeontologists were to apply the same logic and assertion to the many mammals whose fossilised bones have been distorted by geological forces, we would have everything from gazelles to hippos, rhinos, and elephants climbing and falling from high trees."

From "Archaeologists are fuming over a new study about how early hominin Lucy died."

Clue: Don't get your science news from articles that can't distinguish an archaeologist from a palaeontologist.; 8/30/16, 12:17 PM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: In 1491, the guy seems to think it important to defend Indians against the charge that they were primitive for not seeing the practical uses for the wheel.

The defense has something to do with the Chinese plow being superior to the European plow.

Anyway, the guy also seems to think it's evidence of cultural sophistication that the Indians employed a practice sort of like swidden hunt-and-gathering.

Sure. Why not.; 8/30/16, 12:19 PM
rehajm said...: It's common to see gazelles in trees. Leopards drag them up there.; 8/30/16, 1:06 PM
Rockport Conservative said...: "If palaeontologists were to apply the same logic and assertion to the many mammals whose fossilised bones have been distorted by geological forces, we would have everything from gazelles to hippos, rhinos, and elephants climbing and falling from high trees."

I needed a laugh and that provided it. Funniest thing I've seen today, or at least up there with this one from the WaPo: "7. Stolen from a friend on Twitter: “Anthony Weiner is proof that the Clintons don’t actually have people murdered.”; 8/30/16, 1:37 PM
Gabriel said...: n.n. and tradguy charge in to take the creationist bait...

@Smilin Jack:Don't get your science news from articles that can't distinguish an archaeologist from a palaeontologist.

Lucy is relevant to both fields, is she not? The people who study the most ancient humans and hominids would have to know quite a bit of both, or they are not doing their jobs.; 8/30/16, 2:23 PM
Original Mike said...: "Anthony Weiner is proof that the Clintons don’t actually have people murdered.”

Give 'em time, give 'em time.; 8/30/16, 5:17 PM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Someone who is an idiot and someone who is dangerous are two very different things.

People with power know that without being told.; 8/30/16, 6:58 PM
John Orzechowski said...: From A Moral Alphabet by Hilaire Belloc:

D: The Dreadful Dinotherium he
Will have to do his best for D.
The early world observed with awe
His back, indented like a saw.
His look was gay, his voice was strong;
His tail was neither short nor long;
His trunk, or elongated nose,
Was not so large as some suppose;
His teeth, as all the world allows,
Were graminivorous, like a cow's.
He therefore should have wished to pass
Long peaceful nights upon the Grass,
But being mad the brute preferred
To roost in branches, like a bird.1
A creature heavier than a whale,
You see at once, could hardly fail
To suffer badly when he slid
And tumbled (as he always did).
His fossil, therefore, comes to light
All broken up: and serve him right.

MORAL
If you were born to walk the ground,
Remain there; do not fool around.

Notes:
1 We have good reason to suppose
He did so, from his claw-like toes

Source: Complete Verse (1970); 8/30/16, 9:26 PM
Rusty said...: Og
In the cave.
With a truncheon.; 8/31/16, 7:06 AM
mikee said...: Why are elephants so good at Hide & Seek?
Nobody ever looks in the treetops for an elephant.; 8/31/16, 4:34 PM