Belknap Press of Harvard University Press eBooks, 2005
Offers a unique insider's perspective on the unfolding discovery of a crucial link in our evo... more Offers a unique insider's perspective on the unfolding discovery of a crucial link in our evolution: Proconsul, a fossil ape named whimsically after a performing chimpanzee called Consul.
A detailed look at the skeletal system covers bone structure, growth, joints, functions, diseases... more A detailed look at the skeletal system covers bone structure, growth, joints, functions, diseases, and reconstruction.
... The Wisdom of the Bones: in Search of Human Origins. Auteurs : WALKER Alan, SHIPMAN Pat. Prix... more ... The Wisdom of the Bones: in Search of Human Origins. Auteurs : WALKER Alan, SHIPMAN Pat. Prix indicatif 41,23 €. ... Ajouter au panier Ajouter au panier le livre de WALKER Alan, SHIPMAN Pat. Date de parution : 12-1996 Langue : ANGLAIS 8p. 22.9x15.2 Hardback. ...
Why are some discoveries welcomed, whereas others are received with skepticism? I am prompted to ... more Why are some discoveries welcomed, whereas others are received with skepticism? I am prompted to ask this by recent developments in paleoanthropology. On the face of things, the story is an old one: International team finds startling new fossil human, oldest of its type in the region; ...
always been intrigued by missing links. The factual pillars of knowledge are of less interest to ... more always been intrigued by missing links. The factual pillars of knowledge are of less interest to me than the gaps between them, the spaces and the voids, the hidden connections. As my career has expanded from the sciences to the arts, my fascination with the ambiguous and the absent-without-leave has grown stronger. I was trained as a paleoanthropologist, one who deciphers the fossil evidence of the evolution and origin of humankind. The nature of the business is shaped by the fact that the number of relevant fossils is few compared with the significance they must bear. Complete skeletons are almost unknown; a single, complete bone of a rare species is cause enough for celebration. By necessity, paleoanthropologists become specialists in the art of deduction. We fit together the existing fragments and use our knowledge of anatomy to fill in the physical gaps in skulls and bones without creating features that did not exist. We interpret, infer, deduce, and test hypotheses about sizes of brains, functions of limbs, structures of hands, and the timing of the appearance of various physical or behavioral adaptations. The tangible facts we deal with are the fossils themselves and the dates when those creatures were alive. The discovery of new fossils drives the field, especially when they show surprising features, be they genuine novelties ("I've never seen teeth like that before!") or anatomy that contradicts our expectations of how that lineage evolved ("Who would have thought that
Belknap Press of Harvard University Press eBooks, 2005
Offers a unique insider's perspective on the unfolding discovery of a crucial link in our evo... more Offers a unique insider's perspective on the unfolding discovery of a crucial link in our evolution: Proconsul, a fossil ape named whimsically after a performing chimpanzee called Consul.
A detailed look at the skeletal system covers bone structure, growth, joints, functions, diseases... more A detailed look at the skeletal system covers bone structure, growth, joints, functions, diseases, and reconstruction.
... The Wisdom of the Bones: in Search of Human Origins. Auteurs : WALKER Alan, SHIPMAN Pat. Prix... more ... The Wisdom of the Bones: in Search of Human Origins. Auteurs : WALKER Alan, SHIPMAN Pat. Prix indicatif 41,23 €. ... Ajouter au panier Ajouter au panier le livre de WALKER Alan, SHIPMAN Pat. Date de parution : 12-1996 Langue : ANGLAIS 8p. 22.9x15.2 Hardback. ...
Why are some discoveries welcomed, whereas others are received with skepticism? I am prompted to ... more Why are some discoveries welcomed, whereas others are received with skepticism? I am prompted to ask this by recent developments in paleoanthropology. On the face of things, the story is an old one: International team finds startling new fossil human, oldest of its type in the region; ...
always been intrigued by missing links. The factual pillars of knowledge are of less interest to ... more always been intrigued by missing links. The factual pillars of knowledge are of less interest to me than the gaps between them, the spaces and the voids, the hidden connections. As my career has expanded from the sciences to the arts, my fascination with the ambiguous and the absent-without-leave has grown stronger. I was trained as a paleoanthropologist, one who deciphers the fossil evidence of the evolution and origin of humankind. The nature of the business is shaped by the fact that the number of relevant fossils is few compared with the significance they must bear. Complete skeletons are almost unknown; a single, complete bone of a rare species is cause enough for celebration. By necessity, paleoanthropologists become specialists in the art of deduction. We fit together the existing fragments and use our knowledge of anatomy to fill in the physical gaps in skulls and bones without creating features that did not exist. We interpret, infer, deduce, and test hypotheses about sizes of brains, functions of limbs, structures of hands, and the timing of the appearance of various physical or behavioral adaptations. The tangible facts we deal with are the fossils themselves and the dates when those creatures were alive. The discovery of new fossils drives the field, especially when they show surprising features, be they genuine novelties ("I've never seen teeth like that before!") or anatomy that contradicts our expectations of how that lineage evolved ("Who would have thought that
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