Scientists hail stunning fossil - pics

[Kadie]

Page last updated at 14:35 GMT, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 15:35 UK

Scientists hail stunning fossil

By Christine McGourty
Science correspondent, BBC News

The beautifully preserved remains of a 47-million-year-old, lemur-like creature have been unveiled in the US.

The preservation is so good, it is possible to see the outline of its fur and even traces of its last meal.

The fossil, nicknamed Ida, is claimed to be a "missing link" between today's higher primates - monkeys, apes and humans - and more distant relatives.

But some independent experts, awaiting an opportunity to see the new fossil, are sceptical of the claim.

And they have been critical of the hype surrounding the presentation of Ida.

The fossil was launched amid great fanfare at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, by the city's mayor.

more and video at...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8057465.stm



Dr. Jorn Hurum speaks to reporters as a photo of the 47 million-year-old fossilized remains of a creature is projected on a screen during a news conference at the American Museum of Natural History, Tuesday, May 19, 2009 in New York. Scientists have unveiled the skeleton of the 47 million-year-old creature from Germany that may help illuminate the early evolution of monkeys, apes and humans.
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)


The 47 million-year-old fossilized remains of a creature are shown at a news conference at the American Museum of Natural History, Tuesday, May 19, 2009 in New York. Scientists unveiled the skeleton of the 47 million-year-old creature from Germany that may help illuminate the early evolution of monkeys, apes and humans.
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)


This undated photo provided on Tuesday May 19, 2009 by A&E Television shows a 47 million year old fossilized remains of a creature about the size of a small cat. The young female specimen, known as Ida will be featured in a television special called 'The Link' on the History Channel on Monday May 25, 2009.
(AP Photo/A&E Television, Luis Marin)


Photographers take turns making pictures of the 47 million-year-old fossilized remains of a creature during a news conference at the American Museum of Natural History, Tuesday, May 19, 2009 in New York. Scientists have unveiled the skeleton of the 47 million-year-old creature from Germany that may help illuminate the early evolution of monkeys, apes and humans.
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)



The 47 million-year-old fossilized remains of a creature are shown during a news conference at the American Museum of Natural History, Tuesday, May 19, 2009 in New York. The skeleton, from Germany, may help illuminate the early evolution of monkeys, apes and humans.
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

[Sabriel]

1. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around 47 million

Nope, can't do it.

I'm getting that fear-of-heights feeling I used to get when I watched Cosmos.

[phantom power]

4. Better yet, that is about 1/1000 the age of the earth.

Recently deceased relative.

[HopeHoops]

7. That's metric for 3,000 years. That lemur was on Noah's ark with the dinosaurs.

All of the animals survived 40 days and 40 nights munching on two unicorn carcasses and an olive branch.

[phantom power]

2. Someday, I aspire to be hailed as a well preserved fossil.

I've always suspected I would be worth more fossilized than alive. I should try to get myself secretly buried in a sedimentary deposit.

[merh]

17. I've often wondered what will be the reaction of archeologists

millions of years from now when they find the female skeletal remains with the implants resting atop, intact and as perky as they day they were implanted.

[populistdriven]

20. my dad accomplished that long before he actually died

youth is wasted on the young

[Chulanowa]

21. That's why all the old people are moving to Florida, I hear

[Truth2Tell]

3. Obvious fake. nt

[NeedleCast]

5. The Fundies Will Hate This

[TheCoxwain]

6. I thought you were talking about this

[abq e streeter]

8. And here I thought you meant the republican party

[alfredo]

9. Just another stumbling block placed by Satan.

[leftofthedial]

10. It's in pretty good shape for being 6000 years old!

;-)

[MineralMan]

11. Well...I'll be a lemur's nephew!

A few million greats on there, of course.

[Octafish]

12. No one will convince me Bush didn't descend from an ape.

Chimps ARE smarter.



Thanks for a great article, Kadie.

[Kadie]

14. Hi Octafish!

:hi:

[Soylent Brice]

13. pretty killer.

[Arugula Latte]

15. I'll never understand humans' focus on the last 2,000 years.

That is a mere tiny fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a blip of time compared to what has gone before. It makes a mockery of religion and the idea of humans as the focus of the entire universe.

Just my two cents.

[omega minimo]

16. Rec 5!!! To the Greatest with ye!!

[Fuzz]

18. Jesus shouldn't have put that there to trick us.

[progressoid]

19. I wish they would stop saying 'missing link'.

It's a long chain and there are a lot of links.

To bad the media can't get beyond these simplistic phrases.