Monday, January 30, 2017
Fussy points
Chinese fossil researchers have found a microscopic shell that may be an especially early ancestor of complex animals. Strikes me as the sort of fossil that will turn out to be part of a larger and better-known critter, but maybe they have good reasons for treating it as complete.
What's odd is the universal headline "Earliest Human Ancestor" on all the articles, and the universal sentences like "humans evolved from this creepy blob that had no anus."
Three fussy points: (1) "Earliest Human Ancestor" distinctly implies something in the primate department. Lemurs or aye-ayes. This item is claimed to be the earliest deuterostome, which includes most complex multi-celled animals. "Earliest Animal" would be closer. (2) You can't assume it's a blob when it has a fossilized shell. Creepy blobs don't leave fossils, and shells tend to imply rigid bodies. (3) Lots of animals get by without separate mouth and anus, especially in the ocean where you can let water circulate.
¶ 11:59 AM 
