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Two million-year-old bones belonging to a creature with both apelike and human traits provide the clearest evidence of evolution's first major step toward modern humans – findings some are calling a potential game-changer.

An analysis of the bones found in South Africa suggests Australopithecus sediba is the most likely candidate to be the ancestor of humans, said lead researcher Lee R. Berger of the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.

The fossils, belonging to a male child and an adult female, show a novel combination of features, almost as though nature were experimenting. Some resemble pre-human creatures while others suggest the genus Homo, which includes Homo sapiens, modern people.

"It's as if evolution is caught in one vital moment, a stop-action snapshot of evolution in action," said Richard Potts, director of the human origins program at the Smithsonian Institution. He was not among the team, led by South African scientists, whose research was published online Thursday in the journal Science.

Scientists have long considered the Australopithecus family, which includes the famous fossil Lucy, to be a primitive candidate for a human ancestor. The new research establishes a creature that combines features of both groups.

The newly studied bones were found in 2008 in the fossil-rich cave region of Malapa near Johannesberg. Berger's then 9-year-old son, Matthew, found a bone that was determined to belong to the child. Two weeks later Berger uncovered the fossils of the female.

The journal published five papers detailing the findings, including separate reports on the foot, hand, pelvis and brain of A. sediba.

Berger said the brain, hand and foot have characteristics of both modern and early pre-human forms that show a transition under way. It represents a bona fide model that could lead to the human genus Homo, Berger said.

Kristian J. Carlson, also at Witwatersrand, said the brain of A. sediba is small, like that of a chimpanzee, but with a configuration more human, particularly with an expansion behind and above the eyes.

Skjellyfetti wrote:goddamnit

Skjellyfetti wrote:goddamnit

JoltinJoe wrote:So did they find bones which are two-million-years old, or two bones which are a million years old?

Two million-year-old bones belonging to a creature with both apelike and human traits provide the clearest evidence of evolution's first major step toward modern humans – findings some are calling a potential game-changer.

AZGrizFan wrote:

JoltinJoe wrote:So did they find bones which are two-million-years old, or two bones which are a million years old?

Two million-year-old bones belonging to a creature with both apelike and human traits provide the clearest evidence of evolution's first major step toward modern humans – findings some are calling a potential game-changer.

I don't know. How were the quotes used?

AZGrizFan wrote:

Skjellyfetti wrote:goddamnit

Gettin' slow, old man. And you ought to see the fat, old, tired man who BEAT your sorry ass to the punch!

Skjellyfetti wrote:goddamnit

polsongrizz wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:
Gettin' slow, old man. And you ought to see the fat, old, tired man who BEAT your sorry ass to the punch!

A s s h o l e

CID1990 wrote:This is old, old news. I think Nat Geo had it like 3-4 issues back.

Not surprising that SKfelchyfingers just now came out with it since his media universe is limited to HuffPo.

CID1990 wrote:This is old, old news. I think Nat Geo had it like 3-4 issues back.

Not surprising that SKfelchyfingers just now came out with it since his media universe is limited to HuffPo.

Skjellyfetti wrote:

CID1990 wrote:This is old, old news. I think Nat Geo had it like 3-4 issues back.

Not surprising that SKfelchyfingers just now came out with it since his media universe is limited to HuffPo.

It's not old news, ****.

The fossils were discovered in 2008. But, NEW research... specifically on its human-like features and links to human evolution... is appearing in the September 2011 issue of Science Magazine presents new evidence that is discussed in the article.

NEW research...

The Endocast of MH 1, Australopithecus sediba
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/333/6048/1402" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A Partial Pelvis of Australopithecus sediba
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/333/6048/1407" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Australopithecus sediba Hand Demonstrates Mosaic Evolution of Locomotor and Manipulative Abilities
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/333/6048/1411" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Foot and Ankle of Australopithecus sediba
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/333/6048/1417" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Australopithecus sediba at 1.977 Ma and Implications for the Origins of the Genus Homo
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/333/6048/1421" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

D1B wrote:

CID1990 wrote:This is old, old news. I think Nat Geo had it like 3-4 issues back.

Not surprising that SKfelchyfingers just now came out with it since his media universe is limited to HuffPo.

Nice try Joltin Joe.

JoltinJoe wrote:

D1B wrote:
Nice try Joltin Joe.

A nice compliment for CID1990, and apropos too, since CID proved he was right about this being "old news" in the very next post.

D1B wrote:

JoltinJoe wrote:
A nice compliment for CID1990, and apropos too, since CID proved he was right about this being "old news" in the very next post.

Uhhhhh, surrrrrre, but it's just that CLIT1990 was changing the subject in order to deflect attention from the main point of the thread, which is anti-evolution christian nutbags and their ongoing challenges in defending their position. You mainly do it to avoid answering difficult questions or when your're pinned up against the wall, by me.

Still waiting.

JoltinJoe wrote:

D1B wrote:

Uhhhhh, surrrrrre, but it's just that CLIT1990 was changing the subject in order to deflect attention from the main point of the thread, which is anti-evolution christian nutbags and their ongoing challenges in defending their position. You mainly do it to avoid answering difficult questions or when your're pinned up against the wall, by me.

Still waiting.

Yea, you're right, I think that happened one time, and I did change the subject.