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Showing posts with the label Anthropology

Not Loving Lucy the Australopithecus Afarensis

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Over the years, I have featured several articles on the alleged transitional form, the ape with kaleidoscope eyes, commonly known as Lucy. Earnest evolutionists try to slap down biblical creationists and other Darwin doubters claiming the ape from afar ( Afar is far from here, anyway) with talking points. A big problem with popularized science is that folks get notions lodged in their craniums, but retractions and refutations are often ignored. Indeed, knowledgeable creationists often correct believers in universal common descent with the facts. A great deal of information about Lucy in the public mind is wrong. Modified photo by Wikimedia Commons /  Shalom ,  kaleidoscopes from Freeimages /  Frizzy Lee Those who insist in atoms-to-ape evolution frequently present A. afarensis as a link as if scientists were in complete agreement, which is false. Lucy is contested as a link between apes and humans, and the walking upright thing is also a source of disagreement. Its status is sketch

Neanderthal Intelligence Threatening to Evolutionists

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There is a substance called pitch  that is the result of geological processes, and that has been presented as a problem for biblical creationists. Pitch is the result of the Genesis Flood, so how could Noah coat the Ark with this waterproof tar-like substance (Gen. 6:14)? That is not such a "gotcha" as scoffers think, since pitch also comes from plant material . It has been learned that Neanderthals learned how to make and use pitch from birch trees. This shows yet again that they were smarter than secularists previously thought — and this threatens them. Neanderthal reconstruction, Flickr / Michael (a.k.a. moik) McCullough ( CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ) Obviously, denizens of the secular science industry will not accept the fact that these fully-human folks were descendants of Adam, who was created intelligent from the get-go. Secularists are reluctant to relinquish the evolutionary link concept. Like my Question Evolution Day breakfast, there are link problems.   Excuses are made,

Evosplaining Human Ancestors Walking Upright

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People who are skeptical of molecules-to-man evolution, and those who reject it outright, are labeled "science deniers" and ridiculed. We are stupid because evolution is a proven fact — even though it is called a theory , not a fact , by the secular science industry. Also, evolutionary scientists are constantly slapping leather with each other over interpretations of data and our alleged apemen ancestors , some ideas are...truly bizarre. New data prompts more odd things. The latest squabble involves how our supposed ancestors changed their posture. Remember, evolution is supposed to be unguided natural processes; the Stuff Happens Law  instead of teleology (purpose). Evolutionists say it but don't mean it, invoking outside forces and causes in keeping with the pantheistic nature of the ancient philosophy of evolution (the apostle Paul debated Epicurean evolutionists, for example, in Acts 17:16-32 ). Those extremely apelike things we supposedly evolved from originally lear

Giving Cave Painters a Hand

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The long-held belief that Neanderthals and others were stupid brutes because they had not evolved intelligence yet has been fully overturned. They were fully human and intelligent, but Darwin's disciples do not want to admit that creationists were right all along, so they are called "archaic humans." These folks had some interesting cave paintings, and those have even impressed modern artists because of the skill involved. One puzzler was painting involving hands. Some researchers think that they may have determined some of what was going on. Handprint art in Gargas cave, WikiComm / José-Manuel Benito ( Public Domain ) Why hands? Well, a hand is something convenient to portray, and they were done in many caves. One cave showed a difference: missing fingers. It is unlikely that the residents had numerous accidents with chainsaws, and these were tucked away in an area that may have been special. Perhaps they were used to send signals. If you study on it, people use their ha

Monkeys, Tools, and Evolutionary Fantasies

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Believers in universal common descent have a rough time using the science they claim to love. They also like to slap around logic, presupposing that everything evolved — which means they believe it without evidence as a starting point. Then commence to using circular reasoning. Another tactic they use is to suppress inconvenient evidence (the fallacy of exclusion ). Because certain living things have traits in common, Darwinists say this is evidence of evolution (often using the non-answer, convergent evolution ). Since apes and humans have traits in common, this is evidence of a common Designer. Macaque will not make tools, original image: Hippopx With their failed historical science machinations, evolutionists are bringing tears of embarrassment to Papa Darwin's eyes lately. Pieces of stone were found and attributed to ancient "hominids," but one bunch in Brazil was made by made by monkeys (possibly a brazillion of them). Another time, hilarity ensued when it was learn

Horsemanship and Evolution

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The age of the American cowboy on the great cattle drives was from 1866 to 1886. They moved longhorns from Texas to railheads in Kansas, but the need for that work ended when railways were established further south. They knew, and other folks who work with horses know, that a horse and rider essentially become a unit. American Indians, Mongol warriors, and other groups of people throughout history also learned the joys and efficiency of working with horses. Reality and history do not fit Darwinian beliefs, however. A Turk Surrenders to a Greek Horseman , WikiArt / Eugene Delacroix Evolutionists essentially believe that our ancestors swung down from the trees, but they were too stupid to do much. So, they sat around in caves for a huge amount of time, presumably waiting for their brains to develop. The evolutionary timeline of history has a whole lotta nuffin, then many accomplishments in a tiny section at the end of the timeline. Sense it makes no. When history is examined, people are

Neanderthal Baked Crab Party

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Those Neanderthals were an interesting group, and they were fond of having parties. Especially at the beach. Mayhaps last weekend was a clam bake, but this time it was a crab bake. Those things are a little more of a challenge to gather, which made it more rewarding. One Neanderthal was streaming a video of Beach Blanket Bingo , another was cranking up "Nothing but a Good Time" and someone had to get them to compromise before a fight broke out. Lots of food, cold drinks, telling stories around the fire... No fire here, but that is a story. Except that Neanderthals did know how to bake crabs. Salt-baked crab, Flickr / insatiablemunch ( CC BY 2.0 ) We are blessed to be living in a time when recipes have been passed along for generations and can be recorded for posterity. Cooking and baking techniques are in books and on television, and websites have thousands of recipes available. Also, people can always improvise ( I'm a hack at cooking ). Neanderthals baked crabs and it

Some Evolutionists Dissatisfied with Museum Reconstructions

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Believers in universal common have been known to patronizingly tell creationists and other evolution doubters to go to a natural history museum and learn. What people see are exhibits with tendentious usages of evidence, displays involving artistic license, and so on. Actual science, not so much. Remember, facts do not speak for themselves, but are interpreted according to worldviews , and then presented. Secularists presuppose evolution and make that their starting point. Unfortunately, many are so convinced that it is true (despite contradictory or nonexistent evidence), they play fast and loose with their presentations. Australopithecus afarensis , WikiComm /  Wolfgang Sauber ( CC BY-SA 4.0 ) Take a look at photos of  A. afarensis  (Lucy) models as well as other illustrations. I found some where a male specimen is gazing heavenward, as if contemplating the mysteries of the universe. Another exhibit has Lucy overjoyed that Alan arrived at the museum — or is that Steve? One model has

Human Evolution and Missing Links

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Not long ago, Decker Halls was visiting the Darwin Ranch as a consultant or something. I saw Dewey Lye give him a lift to the train station, and after he adjusted the bough of holly on his lapel, Decker boarded the train. It turns out that Halls was trying to help them with the problem of missing links. Something that most evolutionists are unable to grasp is that they are presupposing evolution happened in the first place, then  they wonder why the evidence does not fit. This frequently happens. Mayhaps if they went back to square one and questioned evolution , they might not be so surprised that the links remain missing. Evolution is supposed  to be purposeless, gradual, and with a wagon train-load of transitional forms, but Darwin's disciples often make their own rules. Links between humans and alleged apelike ancestors are not only missing, but bad science and even fraud have been utilized to give the appearance that human evolution is settled science. Minerals-to-microscopist

Mitochondrial DNA in Denisova Cave

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When given the right conditions, DNA can last a surprisingly long time without breaking down completely. There is a cave in Siberia that yielded information about the mysterious Denisovans, but very little is known about them. Like other people groups, they shared their DNA. This cave had mitochondrial (mt) DNA from three  groups of people, but researchers could not determine if they lived there at the same time. It appears that groups handed off that piece of real estate. There was a buildup of sediments in there as well, but secular dating methods are in disarray. Evolutionists are determined to force-fit different people groups into their classifications, but if they stripped away their assumptions, they might realize the differences between the groups are within ranges of people that we see even now. It would have been even more interesting if scientists went beyond examining mtDNA and considered nuclear DNA as well. At any rate, what was actually found is in keeping with biblical

Listen Up, Neanderthals!

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Some mighty interesting discoveries about Neanderthals are becoming more frequent. (Indeed, it seems like when I write up a post on them, another is waiting in my reading list for attention.) I spread out the posts. Some Darwinist holdouts want Neanderthals to remain as primitive brutes, but their humanity has been fully established . Although this Intelligent Design article supports conventional evolutionary years, it also discusses how they were sophisticated, and skilled at cooking . Another from the same source suggests use of eagle talons and feathers for ornamentation show they had symbolic expression  thought processes. Le Moustier Neanderthals, AMNH / Charles R. Knight , 1920 Researchers can determine some surprising things from fossilized bones ( e.g.,  the amazing eyes of trilobites ), and similar technology has been applied to Neanderthals. The result is that they could hear just fine. Frankly (mind if I call you Frank?), it seems that secularists would say that good hearing

Pre-Neanderthal Hominin Footprints Fake Science News

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As indicated here numerous times, when it comes to origins science, secularists prioritize the narrative above logic and evidence. As we recently saw, Darwinoids have no problem with rearranging 35 million years in conventional dating for their purposes. Now we have human footprints that do not fit evolutionary schemes, so the age is conveniently redated. In addition, they use dubious reasoning and even the complex scientific principle of Making Things Up™. Unfortunately, people who are committed to their faith in evolution will accept such nonsense because it appears to support their views. What in the world is a "pre-Neanderthal," anyway? There was also reference to the failed Heidelberg Man story. The well-preserved  footprints were given a drastic increase in their assigned age, and all this stuff raises a number of questions that evolution's true believers are loathe to ask. It is clearly evident that human nature involves investigation, creativity, and making life

When an Ancient Human Loves Another Ancient Human Very Much...

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"To answer your question, I like walking on the beach, making jewelry, painting on cave walls — " "So, it looks like you can't bring your paintings over to my place, then." "Nope. Wanna come over and see my cave?" As discussed here several times,  it has been conclusively established that Neanderthals were fully human. Perhaps we are hardwired to want to reproduce and spread around our DNA. After all, God did  command at the beginning to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). Do not be surprised if you get a DNA test and find Neanderthals in your ancestry. Family, Unsplash / Josue Michel , modified with FotoSketcher Some secularists are resistant to the fact that Neanderthals were simply another people group, but they appear to have disappeared. They, too, were descendants of Adam and Eve with distinct physical variations well within human limits. After the Flood, they were part of the dispersion at Babel. Some Darwinists want to deny reality and kee

The Standard Human Evolution Story vs. the Facts

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This time, I am going to take you along a different trail. It is a series of articles from an Intelligent Design site worth considering. The ID movement has some serious limitations , but they do some good work in showing design   (obviously)  and flaws in evolution. When talking to typical evolution supporters, they often repeat material from secular news releases. We have seen that the press is often disingenuous and exceeds what evolutionary scientists actually claim. Darwin's acolytes claim to have mountains of evidence, but evolutionary scientists know otherwise. Ardipithecus ramidus , Wikimedia Commons / Sailko ( CC BY 3.0 ) One sidewinder actually said that human evolution is complete and has no gaps. That's the guy who gets quoted by evolution supporters who deny the Creator, but he's at odds with the majority of experts. That's right, there are disputes about evolution and major flaws in candidates for our ancestors are known. Unfortunately, people are impress

Neanderthal Ponderings and Being Human

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If you study on it, Neanderthals have evolved in evolutionary history. They were links to our apelike ancestors as portrayed in textbooks and museums. Once some of the presuppositions about apeness were dropped, improved technology was invented, and better research was conducted, they were found to be fully human. What did these guys think about? Well, what do you  think about? What is important to people can often be determined by what they own and how they act. For example, visiting the dwellings of people can indicate what is valued or at least what is interesting to them. The same may be said of Neanderthals. Neanderthal reconstruction, Flickr / Michael (a.k.a. moik) McCullough ( CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ) We should know that it is possible to generalize what groups of people think about, value, and provides them entertainment, but to generalize that each individual was the same as the others is the fallacy of division . My interests in music, science, theology, and other things are vastly

Earliest Human Ancestor X Still Not Found

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Chuck Darwin released the wolves over 150 years ago in search of evidence for evolution, especially ancestors of modern humans. While uninformed disciples claim that evolution is "settled science," evolutionary scientists know that it is anything but settled. Sure, they keep finding evidence of early humans, but nothing that can be considered a candidate for Ancestor X, the beginning of all people groups. (Sounds like a "patient zero," the first infected with a contagion.) They have many disputes and no firm evidence — and even some possible racism. It must be admitted that a great deal of evolution is ethno-centric. After all, Darwin's Victorian myth placed his white Englishmen be the pinnacle of evolution, but darker people were less evolved. (I reckon it must have grated on " scientific racists " to propose the idea that humans evolved and spread out of Africa. That is disputed, and some believe the Middle East is the source of humanity. That's

So-Called Stone-Age People Performed Surgery

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It was a nice surprise to have both Stevia Dolce and Lisa Myworries from the Darwin Ranch stop by my place. Stevia is the baker, and brought some fabulous  croissants. Lisa supervises the Winkie Guards. It seems that some of our creation discussions, albeit brief, were making an impression on them. They know (but keep quiet about it) that the idea of humanity's progress suddenly taking off in comparatively recent years after doing nothing for tens of thousands is ridiculous. Lisa was sharing material on Out-of-Place Artifacts with Stevia, and they commenced to thinking. "Caveman" dreams of scalpel, image assembled from images found at  openclipart In addition to objects that "should not" exist because they are too advanced for evolutionary paradigms, there are structures and achievements by ancient people. Also, Neanderthals art was far more advanced that evolutionists want to believe. Now stone age (actually, an essentially meaningless term only useful for e

Human Ancestors, Chewing, and — Brain Size?

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Heading out Folly Road past Stinking Lake (which is not as bad as it sounds), then continuing toward Deception Pass. Eventually the road leads to the Darwin Ranch property which is patrolled by the Winkie Guards. The Darwin Ranch purveys evoporn, but even they have some limits. The ranch hands were laughing about some flimsy research involving our so-called evolutionary ancestors and teeth, mastication (chewing), and brain size development. I wonder if vegetarians among them had an advantage... Mastication is actually a complex process. Artist's conception of Neanderthals 60,000 years ago,  NASA  / JPL-Caltech (usage does not imply endorsement of site contents) How did chewing evolve, anyway? (Biblical creationists know that Adam and Eve were fully functional humans, and they probably did not question the Creator's design methods.) Research was conducted involving unflavored gum, soft then stiff, and participants' energy levels were measured. Softer gum required less expend

Large-Scale Ancient Structures Made by Early Humans

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When searching for kite , there are things people put up into the sky and hold onto with strings, or certain birds of prey. In this case, structures in the desert that aircraft pilots said resembled those string-held kites. Darwinists hold to the dogma that humans were stupid after they finished evolving from an apelike critter, so the timeline involves being hunter-gatherers, hanging around in caves, and doing very little for a few thousand years. As we have seen, evidence consistently shows that they were very intelligent. One of many examples involves those kite-like structures. Safawi Kite 101, Flickr / Aerial Photographic Archive for Archaeology in the Middle East ( CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ) Such kites have been known for a spell, and serious research has been undertaken with remote sensing. Hundreds of these star-shaped kites have been discovered. (I am using the word star  loosely, as the things had numerous points.) They were intelligently designed and took many people working togethe

Toumaï is not our Evolutionary Ancestor, Either

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Articles about a critter that is considered a "fossil hominin",  Sahelanthropus tchadensis , have been dropped over the transom here. It was presumptuously nicknamed  Toumaï  ("hope of life" in the Daza language) and some Darwinists think it is the oldest human ancestor. Sahelanthropus  was originally found in Chad in 2001, but I wonder if this supposedly earthshaking discovery is not touted so much is because there was controversy from the beginning. The bones are fragmented, and there is even speculation that people from long ago had fiddled around with it. Sahelanthropus tchadensis , Wikimedia Commons / Bjoertvedt ( CC BY-SA 4.0 ) Perhaps researchers may have wanted to avoid another  Lucy-type controversy , but that's just my speculation. After all, bones may not even belong to the same kind of creature. A recent study reveals that paleoanthropologists presupposed evolution and were thrilled by finding what they expected to see, but others did not gallop for