Difference between revisions of "Darwinius masillae"
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Revision as of 02:19, May 21, 2009
Darwinius masillae is the scientific name of the new "missing link" primate fossil discovered in the 1980s and recently publicized. Dubbed "Ida," the fossil has been called the "Holy Grail of human evolution"[1] and the "Eight wonder of the world."
Found in the Middle Eocene strata and dated at 47,000,000 years, [2] "Ida" appears to be an early lemur and is claimed to be a possible ancestor of all primates, including humans. However, it is not the classic "missing link" between ape and man.
The fossil is in remarkably good shape for its estimated age. Palaeontologist Jorn Hurum said that it is "the most complete fossil before human burial."[3]