Afarensis

Goodbye to ScienceBlogs

Thu, 07 May 2009 14:59:19 -0500

Due to circumstances beyond my control I will no longer be blogging for ScienceBlogs. I would like to thank all those people who have read my blog, commented on my posts, and sent me articles. Without you I would not have made it as long as I have. I will be returning to my old blog here

BioLogos, The Fossil Record, And Human Evolution

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:38:42 -0500

Brian has an excellent post about the discussion of the fossil record at BioLogos. Brian does a great job pointing how just how bad the discussion of the fossil record is at BioLogos. Long story short, they briefly discuss the early evolution of tetrapods, the reptile/mammal transition, and then move on to whales - and do an inadequate job on all three. I bring this up because BioLogos is, apparently, going to be discussing human evolution. Based on their discussion of the fossil record I don't expect much in the way of a competent discussion of the subject. I will post on it when it becomes available, until then, here is what they have to say:

Current scientific evidence suggests that all organisms, including humans, are related to each other by their descent from common ancestral species. This response will look at recent findings from the genome, which supports this claim. The fossil records of humans and human-like creatures also helps to sketch the story of human evolution.

I can hardly wait...

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Evolution of Human Sex Roles

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:07:14 -0500

In discussing human sex roles one usually starts thus:

...because a single egg is more costly to produce than a single sperm, the number of offspring produced by female animals is limited by the number of eggs that she can produce, while the number of offspring produced by male animals is limited by the number of mating partners.

And then usually this is thrown in as well:

...male animals are competitive and promiscuous while female animals are non-competitive and choosy.

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Not A Genuine Likeness Of Shakespeare After All...

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:02:07 -0500

Awhile back I wrote a post about a picture that was claimed to be one of the few paintings of Shakespeare painted while he was still alive.

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Where Did All That Oil Come From? Srsly?

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:47:52 -0500

Words can not describe the mind-boggling nature of the video below (an exception to my no YouTube rule). Call me gobsmacked...

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Did Homo sapiens Copy Tool Making Techniques From H. floresiensis? Do Bonobos Rate Food?

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:37:31 -0500

Science is reporting on interesting research on the Ling Bua stone tools:

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Ichthyostega, Acanthostega, and Tetrapod Origins

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:59:55 -0500

PhysOrg.com has a story on new research on Ichthyostega and Acanthostega. The new research was prompted by the discovery of new fossils:

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Interesting Evolution News

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:01:38 -0500

There are a number of interesting pieces of evolutionary research in the news. Some are a little on the old side...

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Another Reason Not To Like The Yankees

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:51:16 -0500

Not content with inflicting that detestable "Gob Bless America" on their fans, they have to chain the exits so folks can't leave while the dreck is being sung:

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New Population of Orangutangs Discovered

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:30:03 -0500

According to National Geographic a new, and large, population of orangutangs has been discovered in the Indonesian sector of Borneo:

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An Update on the Madagascar Crisis

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:15:48 -0500

An update can be found here. One of the more disturbing items is this:

We have also recently discovered that large-scale, organized bushmeat hunting is being conducted in old-growth rainforests near and within the newly protected area of Makira. Under the control of an individual who claims huge tracts of rainforest as his own, every type of lemur in the area--including indris and the highly endangered silky sifaka--are hunted down by packs of trained dogs and killed. The meat is smoked on site and sold throughout the region--even as far away as the nation's capital city, Antananarivo.

Apparently the wood being cut down in these areas is being sold to China, and of course the people actually doing the hard work are being ruthlessly exploited:

Villagers participating in the logging risk their lives and are exploited shamelessly by the mafia. Villagers receive as little as US$2.50 (2€) per day to drag logs miles out of the jungle--logs weighing an average of 200 kg each, with some weighing more than a ton. In Antalaha, Sambava or Vohémar, these same logs have fetched up to US$11 (8.50€) per kg for the local mafia and foreign profiteers (primarily from China).

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Cute Baby Gorilla

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:05:41 -0500

Via National Geographic:

Darwin's Cracked Egg

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 08:35:44 -0500

PhysOrg.Com has an interesting story about a recently discovered egg. The egg was discovered by a museum volunteer who has been working on sorting and reboxing the bird egg collection at Cambridge University's Zoology Museum. The egg in question, belonging to the common Tinamou, was collected in South America by Charles Darwin:

And records seem to indicate that Darwin himself was responsible for damage caused to the heavily cracked egg after packing it in too small a box during or following his famous voyage from 1831-36.

I guess even the best make mistakes...

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The Return of Old Dirt - New Thoughts - It's New and Improved!

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:53:49 -0500

It has older dirt, newer thoughts, and extra scoops of artifactual goodness. It also has a new home so adjust your links accordingly. Old Dirt - New Thoughts can now be found here If you are unfamiliar with Old Dirt - New Thoughts you should check it out, it is one of the more interesting archaeology blogs on the internet...

I Thought Sailboat Owners Were Better Than This

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:40:13 -0500

I have occasionally mentioned in the past that I like to sail. I even own my own sailboat. That is why I find this article to be appalling. Times are tough for people who own boats:

Some of those disposing of their boats are in the same bind as overstretched homeowners: they face steep payments on an asset that is diminishing in value and decide not to continue. They either default on the debt or take bolder measures.
Marina and maritime officials around the country say they believe, however, that most of the abandoned vessels cluttering their waters are fully paid for. They are expensive-to-maintain toys that have lost their appeal.

The owners cannot sell them, because the secondhand market is overwhelmed. They cannot afford to spend hundreds of dollars a month mooring and maintaining them. And they do not have the thousands of dollars required to properly dispose of them.

So they end up like this:

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