Earliest Primate Placed With Dinosaurs

Quirk writes "National Geographic has a piece suggesting the earliest primates were contemporaries of dinosaurs. The article is an endorsement for the evolutionary dating system using molecular-clock studies. The earliest primates according to the current fossil record suggests a common ancestor about 55 million years ago after the great dinosaur die-off. Relying on biology and mathematics the new study suggests a small, nocturnal creature of the tropical forests was the earliest primate. The research viewed fewer differences in genetic codes as an indicator that the more recently two species parted evolutionary company, and, math equations were used to flesh out the tree and to predict when and for how long species may have lived. So, really, a Rachel Welch lookalike in a skimpy fur bikini may have actually fled a rampaging T-Rex."

Comments

The actress' name is...

[WalletBoy]

So, really, a Rachel Welch lookalike in a skimpy fur bikini may have actually fled a rampaging T-Rex."

The actress' name is Raquel Welch, not Rachel Welch. There's a site here where you can look up names if you're not sure on the spelling.

an early primate sketch and an evolutionary tree

[juju2112]

The Field Museum in Chicago, where this study was done, has an nice press release on this here.

They also released a sketch of what the earliest common ancestor for primates might have looked like, and a nice evolutionary tree which might put some of this into perspective for some of you.