Richard Leakey on the Foundation for Research into the Origins of Early Man

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Richard Leakey, anthropologist and director of the National Museums of Kenya, speaking in St. Paul. Leakey talks about the Foundation for Research into the Origins of Early Man and how Australopithecus Boisei, a relative of the human race, fits into the evolution of humans.

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Eyeless Jack come from Texas having previously painted in California before. on the West Coast I have been attempting to lecture to audiences most every night for the last 3 weeks. In an attempt to explain to a large group of people the results of our ongoing research to try and draw attention to the needs and programs the foundation for the sections the origin of man on whose behalf. I came to the United States on this visit in Africa in South Africa. A lot of work has been done in Europe. A lot of work has been done in Asia. And in the forest with regards to the study of element. basketball the fossils have been found of any great Antiquity in the new world that relate to our story. I can't complain. You must forgive me if I disregarded the United States from here on in my bispels. The ugliest probable record of the humankind ramapithecus and we'll look at the size of that later. So now I forgot I told him it is strangely enough. A creature that is not human instructions. 11 in 10 million years in the southern parts of Europe with a woman at that time. Atanacia south south of the Himalayan Mountains and across to the east into China. Jonathan Lucas was widely distributed in these might seem X the creature that appears to have been adapted to a changing habitat forest was getting ready to open country. Fresno fossil evidence to show what happened to ramapithecus outside of Africa. people have looks people have searched and countless numbers of fossils of other species have been recovered. But it is only in Africa that the story is for the documented with fossils after ramapithecus until you get much later in time. When again Out of Africa the FPS homes of Harmony doll films of element. For the first time again. In Africa that intervening space is represented. Sonic steps by convincing fossil evidence has been found. in conjunction with an association with fossil evidence of other kinds we have been able to collect. Fossils of the many animals that lived in those habitats in those environments at the time that I ancestors were developing. We've been able to collect fossil plant material. It's been possible to do some geochemistry and geophysics paleogeography and Taylor ecology. At any given point of time and relate our ancestors stage of development to that point of time. By getting a series of time freezes in that way perhaps as my work is done. We will be able to see some of the causes of the changes that appear in the fossil record. It is indeed. I think important to know why I'm an old man kind of humanity is here. The fact that men control I think has got to be explained. It wasn't in my opinion a predetermined phenomena not all life is gradually evolving towards our exalted situation. Adidas Alan Walker good colleague of mine Johns Hopkins University said the other day. said if you talk to Thomas Revolution experiments and that success is so reasoning time that it is hardly even been computed. So it's much too early to tell whether it was successful or not. We are a mere moment in time in terms of evolution and evolution of time. some please we are here by rights and that we will remain him regardless of our errands. eras can be discussed at length this evening because it is not my business to do this. But I would like what I have to platforming what I have the opportunity to address myself to this one question merely point out that they want to try tarryall characteristic but appears to have made us distinct from our closest relatives. The australopithecines is a human that became extinct. Wasn't that Cactus take what you might term intelligence and expanded brain and ability to do things in a way but no other primates or other animal has yet been able. That couch of X technology that intelligence. Enable us to make our first student Plymouth. complicated Speech & Language develop complicated customs and social ethics And weapons of Destruction never before have we been closer? The situation where a serious confrontation between superpowers could result in very serious destruction of the species indeed. The unwise use of nuclear arms could lead to the premature Extinction of a species. Generally the destruction of the environment so through the misuse of Technology. I'm not a product of our intellect could lead to Extinction. The conflict of a race but tensions between people of different religions Middle East the Dreadful situation in South Africa designate a crisis for a species. within them Paris Mission some of my friends read popular books describing the inmates aggressiveness in humankind than the fact of our best intentions and then we would self-destruct and these poor unfortunate is X-Men of Africa. What planes fly was in Vietnam in Germany and what's going on today? Well, I will explain later on Festival. I don't think Australopithecus is necessarily a direct ancestor. Anyway, which helps that position? but secondly even weather we have not found anywhere in the fossil record any evidence of aggression. None of the fossils from Africa from Asia can with any reasonable certainty as having died as a result of the violent ends infected by another individual. Oh that's can be accounted for or not, But there's no positive evidence for balance. One might ask why that is so the answer is very simple. Behavior does not fossilized. Behavior is something that is not formal. You can socialize it in the Rock and say this is Valentin. This is not what I don't but I do not know except perhaps the comic books. Let's show these Harry Bridges eight men beating up their women. Maybe that's what led him astray in the first place. Inflamed but if you can say anything about human behavior in the past, the only thing that I think is worth saying I'm probably warrants some discussion. Is the fact that it's not back is to maybe 2.5 million years ago, but his evidence that the human societies had formed but we're living a way of life that involved food sharing. Live life the police today and anthropology referred to as a hunter-gatherer way of life involves a group of individuals. And today situation you can determine how many put you can observe and they got us maybe 15 20 25 individuals living in the band and obtaining their food by hunting and gathering in the surrounds. Each individual in this group has a role in each individual in that group benefits from the efforts of the other end of the day. We come back to our camp revive collect fruits and you collected fish. We share it out. And this way we have improved off of gathering Saturday considered a corporation that makes us quite unique from other planets and I believe this sophistication and this Improvement of social cooperation that is manifested by that way of life hunting and Gathering is very much human play if you like the timed a tray of cooperativeness, Cooperation hasn't fossilized any more than aggression has a man would have to accept that that's mine is open as is the other except that there are sites that show togetherness. I just like to say that of course, I'm quite sure that I individuals capacity capable of individually becoming angry as we can today and I would hate to think that he has to go was a Placid pacifist but I think organized wall. And the extraordinary complex way in which we wage war today, which is uniquely human is not a product of a genes but something about culture something that we have learned. And because of that we can surely learn something else. We can show it on to cooperate to share. One of the first things that we have to deal with is about a thorny question of whether we are descended from the edges without question. But if we were to follow in its complete form one of our ancestors that lived. 55 altessa But we don't have the body mainly have the living. It's of the all of its of the Lakes. Which of the backbone. I meant to the mines. To the fact that most of the sites where in Africa. the sites of earliest are in Kenya These sites are represented. Ranging from about 4 million to 1 million besides in Europe. Crossing Indian Pakistani 10 million + in China There is an absence of these anywhere but within the Tropics of Africa. Capital excavation and collections company made in the simulated deposits of Europe and Asia has not turned up in that record. And I think that in itself is only a few places in Africa. Is anybody episode of the United States? We can't help excavations. I'm an excavation in Africa is not unlike an excavation anywhere else. pictures of cups of the screens and details and fossils archaeology deposit a great deal of patience and a great deal. That's why are people drawn from any countries in many institutions and many of the conclusions and statement that I have made that I'm associated with. Single night everybody believes what I'm saying? And I'm totally convinced that they are wrong. discussion is continuing What I have on the border, the moment is at chop. Show me a creature here in the last 12 years. somewhat hazy line through Selena Gomez but I recognized three separate types of one line lower one continues through to present a man about a million years before present time. The Middle on This Is Us Rebecca's Paws and Jaws reasonably complete collection patio and masturbate with strong muscles we have several hundred fossils from different sites in Africa representing this Okay. Just that and then sizes is the canine incisors all the same size. What needs hot mess of tea scratches on the side in the same time as Australopithecus robustus scene? Scarlett has features that are not very distinct 1300 CC's new of each other's existence. What are they actually spoke different species of there is no social intercourse. Actors in Africa insights for the deal that Australia doesn't have been several bunches in the story of the specimen to be found at Texarkana. This type of specimen takes the age of the large Brain Tumor back just over 2 million years. I would predict the time that goes back possibly as much as 3 but at the moment the best evidence is around 2 or 2.2 again contemporary with Australopithecus robustus. It's one on the same as indeed. We are left of the differences between us. Play Satan side view the same as Manifest. Lily have also living alongside on the side is rather we have another this is weather is contention. This is where my friends and I disagree as well. They believe this that was basketball and others like it in East Africa must be the same thing. Well, yes, you know you do get differences in size insects and males generally larger than females identical to the specimen. Why is it that in Africa? Alexis. 500cc z815 is it the argument that the moment the Press is delighted with it's not a serious all going to drop draw Princess. Keep us happy about next Hots maybe that will see. But my view is that we have three different types of phone it and that's what I have to sit through for the moment when we find.

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