Tanzania Fossils May Pinpoint Critical Split Between Apes and Monkeys

sciencehabit writes "From the human perspective, few events in evolution were more momentous than the split among primates that led to apes (large, tailless primates such as today's gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans) and Old World monkeys (which today include baboons and macaques). DNA studies of living primates have estimated that the rift took place between 25 million and 30 million years ago, but the earliest known fossils of both groups date no earlier than 20 million years ago. Now, a team working in Tanzania has found teeth and partial jaws from what it thinks are 25-million-year-old ancestors of both groups. If the interpretations hold up (abstract), the finds would reconcile the molecular and fossil evidence and possibly provide insights into what led to the split in the first place."

Comments

Re:This is completely irrelevant...

[flyneye]

My step-dad hated every ape and monkey. I remember a trip to the zoo as a child. Rhesus monkeys were kept on an island with a play castle and a mote with a 15 ft wall surrounding the mote. He chewed plug tobacco. Reaching in his pockets he withdrew a "cake" of "Days Work" and a pocket knife. He cut a plug approx. .5" x .5" and threw it to the monkeys on the island. They fought like Vikings for the prize and the winner climbed to the peak of the castle to eat his plug. Soon he was hanging by one arm and foot, wobbling dizzily, he toppled to the beach. In a few minutes he was back in the fray for another plug of tobacco.

          I'm fine with keeping monkeys and apes in the wild. I lost my taste for that side of the zoo when I went through a section of Orangutans in their playground, behind thick glass. A 10ish year old girl was trying to figure out what the funny munky was doing, when he blew his load on the glass, right where her face was.
I can understand his hate for apes and monkeys, but don't share his zeal. On the other hand it would be a kick to hear Charlton Hesston narrate the above article.