Out of India?

The theory of human evolution seems to be headed for a new spin with the revelation that human species originated in Asia, pouring cold water over the “Out of Africa” belief that suggest that humans originated in Africa.

The study published in the latest proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, states that the finding of fossils in Pakistan of the three newly discovered primate species, which lived 30 million years ago, throws ample light on the fact that primates originated in Asia.

Scientists, however, say that the case may be as simple as that and could be more of “Out of Asia into Africa and Back to Asia”, theory that suggests that Asian primates journeyed to Africa, evolved into humans and then travelled both in and out of Africa.

Scientists believe that the fossil tooth found in Pakistan’s Bugti Hills belong to the three new anthropoids, from which humans evolved, adding, that Bugtipithecus inexpectans, Phileosimias kamali and Phileosimias brahuiorum, are very much similar to today’s lemurs.

“The Oligocene period 30 to 25 million years ago in south Asia was so far totally undocumented palaeontologically. So, it is not surprising that the discovery of fossilised animals from this period is totally new for science, and that they may change or modify substantially our previous view on mammal evolution, notably here, the evolutionary history of anthropoid primates. The evolutionary history of these old anthropoid lineages represents the beginnings of the evolutionary history of humans,” Discovery News quoted Dr Laurent Marivaux the lead author of the study, and a palaeontologist at the Institute of Evolutionary Science at Montpellier II University in France, as saying.

Also since remains of later primates similar to the new anthropoids have been previously found in China, Burma and Thailand, experts believe that primates may have originated in Asia.

“Together, the fossil anthropoid primates that are known from China, Thailand, Myanmar and now Pakistan constitute an impressive amount of data indicating that the ‘higher primate’ lineage that today includes all monkeys, apes, and humans must have originated in Asia, not in Africa as earlier scientists believed. The new evidence indicates early members of this anthropoid Asian group made its way to Africa, where they continued to evolve and diversify, eventually giving rise to living monkeys, apes and humans,” Dr Christopher Beard, curator and head of the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, was quoted as saying. (ANI)

Source

Posted by jonjayray on Thursday, June 2, 2005 at 09:44 AM in Science & Technology
Comments (4) | Tell a friend

Comments:

Posted by Kubilai on June 02, 2005, 06:06 PM | #

To me, it really does not matter where the nidus for modern human phylogenesis was, be it Africa or Asia or anywhere else. It is interesting to me, though not critical in anything discussed here nor the current state of affairs. What matters more is how the different seeds of early humans developed over the tens of thousands of years and what they did with their “Eveian” genes. And to further press the issue, the infinitely important point is how we preserve our genes as we forge ahead in time.

It is funny how the Afrocentrists took the news of human origins and ran with it due to such a dearth of historical accomplishments. As if Blacks had anything to do WITH the origins of humans. LOL Now this, if true, no doubt will be looked at as another “racist” act meant to keep da brotha down.

Posted by Frodo Baggins on June 02, 2005, 07:27 PM | #

I still think the out of Africa theory is more likely.

Posted by Lurker on June 02, 2005, 09:23 PM | #

After @ 30-25 million years of plate tectonics what do the words Asia & Africa really mean in this context. The map of the earth must have looked somewhat different then.

Posted by Guessedworker on June 03, 2005, 07:26 AM | #

Lurker,

That was my first thought when I read this yesterday. But the article here does seem to tie up with plate movement as it is currently understood. This, purportedly, is the disposition of the world’s land-masses 30 million years ago:-

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/geology/usgsnps/pltec/mod030.gif

Next entry: Sly Stallone, Rambo IV and why those white separatists have to die

Previous entry: The Nazi bomb

Existential Issues

White Genocide Project

Of note

General News

Science News

Science Categories

All Categories

The Writers

Each author's name links to a list of all articles posted by the writer; the hashes link to authors' homepages.

Links

Endorsement not implied.

Controlled Opposition

Crime

General

Immigration

Islam

Jews

Nationalist Political Parties

Science

Whites in Africa