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Research on a Homo sapiens juvenile fossil shows that modern human developmental patterns emerged more than 160,000 years ago

By using incremental growth lines in teeth, similar to annual rings in trees, developmental rate and time may be accurately established millions of years after death.
The novel application of high-resolution propagation phase contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography, developed by Paul Tafforeau during his PhD studies, permits previously inaccessible developmental features to be revealed on tooth growth in Homo Sapien fossils
http://www.mpg.de/english/illustrationsD...0309/index.html

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"You will never find a real Human being - even in a mirror." .....Mike Kremer.
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Those growth rings in teeth seems to prove that Homo Sapiens have been around for longer than we thought. About 80,000 years longer? I believe

From the article:

"However, it unclear when, in and which group of fossil humans, the modern condition of a relatively long childhood arose."

It's an almost certain bet that it developed gradually to some extent. At which point along such a continuum would we say the modern pattern finally arrived? I believe many of us tend to demand a sudden change in our evolution in order to separate us from other apes and so from the rest of nature. But that's not how it happened. Each of the characteristics that define us developed at different times: upright walking, tool use, large brain and so on.

"I believe many of us tend to demand a sudden change in our evolution in order to separate us from other apes"

Oh, I don't know. I'm rather fond of chimpanzees!

Redewenur. You, along with most regulars on SAGG, are an exception. Try talking to a fundy on the subject. They go to incredible lengths to emphasise the difference. Personally I'm rather more fond of gorillas because of an incident at the New Orleans zoo. I'd be dissapointed if any of my relations wanted to marry one though.

Terry.

"I'd be dissapointed if any of my relations wanted to marry one though"

There you are! Not racist, but specie-ist.ist (or something) tut-tut. Still, I suppose we didn't get where we are today without our prehistoric ancestors taking that attitude <g>

Tell us about the incident.

OK. I'll take it back. I'll accept it if one of my relations wants to marry one.

Regarding gorillas. Scene: New Orleans zoo. There was a bunch of people watching the chimps run around madly but the gorillas were next door, out in their enclosure with no-one watching them. Quietly minding their own business and feeling a bit superior to the noisy chimps. When I stopped they both looked up and the female immediately got up and walked into their little hut out of view as if to say, "Oh, [censored]". The male looked at me for some time and then clapped his hands once, making a fairly loud noise of course. I've done a bit of flamenco and know how to make a loud bang so in the interests of science I copied him. At which he got up and joined his mate as if to say, "See. I told you. They are the same as us".

That's was interesting. Like a lot of people, I think the intelligence of other primates is generally underestimated. Maybe they even have a "God Module" - which wouldn't surprise me at all since they are our next of kin on family tree of evolution.