Ardipithecus Ramidus...

[Clodhopper]

...or "Ardi" as she is nicknamed, lived 4.4 million years ago - that's more than a million years older than "Lucy" - and is our earliest definitely known ancestor.

Saw a fascinating programme about her discovery and the piecing together off her incredibly fragile partial skeleton. They found her in 1994 and only this year have they finished the process of restoration.

She was a true bipedal. She didn't knuckle walk like the Great Apes, but she had a gripping foot with an opposable big toe. This differentiates her from Lucy, who had a foot more or less like ours. Ardipithecus as a species couldn't walk far or fast, but was, nonetheless, walking without the help of her hands. So now we know that we developed our modern human foot between 4.4 and 3.2 million years ago. It is also very likely that we evolved in a more forested environment than used to be thought.

Her brain was about the size of a chimp's, but she had smaller canines (MUCH smaller) than a chimp. This, and the species' ability to walk without the use of hands, have led to the speculation that this is where our modern pair bonding behaviour started - females were NOT selecting males on the basis of their size and aggression.

It is very possible that they were selecting them on the basis of their ability to bring food, something much easier to do when both hands are available for carrying. This allowed the females more time to care for their young, presumably hidden away in a comparatively safe pace, thus giving a reproductive advantage in that more children were likely to reach adulthood.

There are also, apparently, signs of an even older ancestor named Ardipithecus Kabaddi. This possible ancestor is dated at around 6 or 7 million years old if I remember it correctly. So far, only a few teeth and bone fragments have been discovered, plus a possible skull.

One of those programmes you will never forget. Did anyone else see it?

[farmer giles]

fantastic post cloddy

i was going to post the very same thing

and a much more primative humanoid call nickus gremlinacus

[Bryn Mawr]

Originally Posted by Clodhopper

<Snip>

One of those programmes you will never forget. Did anyone else see it?

Only wish I had as it sounds fascinating. Which side and I'll see if it's still available to view.

[Clodhopper]

It was a Discovery Channel programme. According to my tv, it's due to be repeated at 10:00pm tonight. Channel 212 if you get Virgin cable...

[Bryn Mawr]

Originally Posted by Clodhopper

It was a Discovery Channel programme. According to my tv, it's due to be repeated at 10:00pm tonight. Channel 212 if you get Virgin cable...

Shame - I don't get Discovery and it's not available on-line

[Chookie]

These might help...........

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Fossil finds extend human story


Ardipithecus ramidus

[oscar]

[quote=Clodhopper;
One of those programmes you will never forget. Did anyone else see it?[/QUOTE] Yes, I saw it... truely fascinating. I find that any new discovery of 'missing links' is in direct conflict with the Bible vs evolution. That I find so Interesting.

[Clodhopper]

Yes, I saw it... truely fascinating. I find that any new discovery of 'missing links' is in direct conflict with the Bible vs evolution. That I find so Interesting.

The miracle of evolution is a wonder. It is, I think, arguable that human evolution from a certain point (and I don't know what that point was, but it may be when females stopped selecting males on the basis of aggression) is attributable to love.

And that leaves me speechless and amazed.

[oscar]

Originally Posted by Clodhopper

The miracle of evolution is a wonder. It is, I think, arguable that human evolution from a certain point (and I don't know what that point was, but it may be when females stopped selecting males on the basis of aggression) is attributable to love.

And that leaves me speechless and amazed.

But then 'Human' killed off '.Neanderthal'. Human and Chimpanzee are the only species to 'Murder' their own.

[Clodhopper]

But then 'Human' killed off '.Neanderthal'. Human and Chimpanzee are the only species to 'Murder' their own.

No. Quite a lot of species do when population gets too high: Ants do anyway, and even enslave other "races" of ant!

My point was that HUMAN evolution may have been driven by what we now call love between man and woman.

I don't want to push this idea too hard as fact. It's speculation. But if true....WOW!