Ice Age Animals in Southwest U.S. Rock Art, Part 2

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 3 MAY- JUNE 2013

Inside - Challenging the tenets of mainstream scientific agendas -

Main story: Continuing with Ray Urbaniak’s Asian or extinct animals in U.S. rock art

PAGE 1 Page 4: Trekking from Central Asia to Utah. Click to read » Ice Age animals in Page 5: Calico needs scientific oversight. Click to read » SW US rock art, Prt 2 Ray Urbaniak Page 6: Member news & other information. Click to read » Page 7: Technical paper—Glacial maxima. Click to read » PAGE 4 Page 10 : Textbook evo propaganda 1. Click to read » Straight line travel Page 13: Neanderthal renaissance. Click to read » in the Pleistocene John Feliks Page 16: Textbook evo propaganda 2. Click to read »

PAGE 5 Calico renamed Ice Age animals in and emasculated Virginia Steen-McIntyre Southwest U.S. rock art, part 2 PAGE 6 Member News & By Ray Urbaniak that the petroglyphs do not at mals as is commonly done it other information all resemble the tightly -coiled is my belief that the fossil Engineer, rock art photographer, horns of bighorn sheep but record may have holes in it Maggie Macnab, researcher and preservationist clearly show animals with that can be plugged with vari- Vesna Tenodi long sweeping horns over ous animals depicted in rock [Editor’s note: This article is condensed their backs. art if we from a much longer submission. are willing PAGE 7 In Part 1, I provided origi- In Part 2, I to look at nal photographs of South- offer other the evi- Technical paper: petroglyphs Glacial maxima west rock art petroglyphs dence from that support the idea of in Utah and an open- Alan Cannell humans having been in the Arizona minded Americas much longer which de- point of than traditionally taught, pict addi- view. PAGE 10 as they appear to show either tional enig- Propaganda in col- extinct animals or animals matic ani- There are mals (e.g., in fact de- lege textbooks,Prt1 which have never been known from the area even in the Fig. 1). pictions of John Feliks Ice Age fossil record (PCN #22, I believe Fig. 1. Southwest petroglyph of an enig- March-April 2013). matic animal with forward-facing horns animals in that depic- which is clearly not a bighorn sheep. North PAGE 13 The Part 1 petroglyphs were tions of Photo: Ray Urbaniak. America possible A Neanderthal ren- of animals that appear to be which place extinct animals is strong evi- aissance antelope, ibex, or gazelle— Native peoples in North Amer- animals with straight or long dence that people were in the ica much earlier than had Vesna Tenodi sweeping horns—which are Americas around the last ice previously been believed by known from Asia, Europe, and age and most likely much non-native people. longer—just as Native people PAGE 16 Africa. I pointed out that in the U.S. such petroglyphs are have long insisted. A variety of living and extinct animals Propaganda in col- commonly interpreted as be- Rather than viewing every lege textbooks,Prt2 ing “stylized” depictions of unusual or enigmatic animal In the process of working to John Feliks bighorn sheep because big- figure as either a mythologi- preserve Southwest rock art I horn are known from the cal creature or as “stylized” area. This is despite the fact versions of well-known ani- > Cont. on page 2

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Ice Age animals in Southwest U.S. rock art, part 2

have taken many photo- There is no reason not to graphs in the Southwest U.S. graphs of animal depictions expect that some of these which could possibly repre- which are not sent such ani- easy to identify. mals. A couple of One example is them are shown shown in Fig. 2. in Fig. 1 and As mentioned Fig. 3. above, apart from thinking of For those inter- “There is no such depictions ested in informa- as stylized ver- tion about the reason not to various species expect sions of well- known con- of pronghorn that temporary that were still some of animals or as living in the imaginary Americas when these early people were now ex- animals, I offer a few here see the very tinct ani- possible in- accessible article mals terpretations by Darren Nash, based on 2010, at science- would blogs.com called have been de- animals which are Release the Fossil Pronghorns!! Also picted in the known from the Fig. 2. Upper Left: Southwest U.S. petroglyph of an unidenti- interesting are rock art of fossil record. fied animal; Photo by Ray Urbaniak. Very noticeable character- early Native The Camelops istics of the animal include a long neck or trunk, a relatively Extinct and Ex- large body, long straight legs, and a short tail. For comparison, tant Pronghorns: Americans.” interpretation is based on an I offer a couple of animals of the camel family known from the America’s U.S. Pleistocene—Miocene age fossil record, as well as an ex- Pseudo- extinct camel tinct elephant from Asia. Upper Right: Alticamelus or Aepy- which is known antelopes, by camelus, an extinct camel known from the Miocene of Colo- Mark Gelbart, to have been rado, etc. According to the fossil record as presently known it present in the died out before the Pliocene, c. 5 million years ago. Lower 2012; and Prehis- Americas when Left: Camelops, an extinct camel that lived in western North toric Pronghorn: early people America along with early Native Americans until the end of the Ancient Antelope, “The fossil re- were here. The Pleistocene about 10,000 years ago. This animal could very about an exhibit other two inter- certainly have been subject of depiction in Native American at the Arizona cord may have rock art. Lower right: Deinotherium, an extinct elephant from Museum of Natu- holes in it that pretations are the Miocene-Pleistocene of Africa, Europe, and Asia. All com- not as conven- ral History. can be plugged parison images: Wikimedia Commons. ient geographi- One petroglyph with the ani- cally or time-wise but should now extinct animals could panel with a pronghorn-type mals depicted not be automatically ruled have been depicted in the animal or extinct early ante- in rock art.” out. lope which I Pronghorns photographed is high on the There is only rock face one species (approx 15 of pronghorn feet up) at living in the what may American west have been today. How- ground level ever, during thousands of the Pleisto- years ago. On cene and the same Pliocene there panel are were at least other ice age 12-14 differ- Fig. 3. One of the petroglyph panels in Utah with depictions of several animals. different horned or antlered animals in a sequence (Photo: Ray Urba- ent species niak). There appear to be two different types of pronghorn depicted Saiga ante- and some with suggesting at least one before the animal’s extinction. very unusual lope horns. Prong- There is a petroglyph panel rock art of early Native horns had a range stretching in Arizona which could possi- from Florida to California and Americans and I have taken many petroglyph photo- from Mexico to Canada. > Cont. on page 3

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

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Ice Age animals in Southwest U.S. rock art, part 2

bly include a rare depiction Usuktuk River in northern Next issue of a Saiga Antelope (Fig. 4). Alaska; whereas the latest sur- vivor, also from Alaska, dates In the same valley with the Saigas are presently confined to to about 12,200 years ago. saiga petroglyph is a petro- central Asia. However, during Of the three Canadian speci- glyph of a mountain goat. the Pleistocene—about 2 mil- mens, two from the Baillie Also, on the same highly- Islands, Northwest Terri- patinated panel with prong- tories and Bluefish Cave horn and saiga is a glyph III, Yukon, yielded dates which may well depict a of about 15,000-13,400 Mammoth. It is a very old years ago. The other is panel where the patina of from Old Crow Basin, the pecked area matches the northern Yukon and color of the surrounding pat- dated at about 13,200 inated rock surface. There years ago. (See Dr. are other petroglyphs I have Virginia Steen- photographed that most McIntyre’s report, Early people would dismiss as man in Northern Yukon “fanciful animals.” You de- 300,000 years ago, cide. Pleistocene Coalition From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ News #20 for infor- science-environment-18770963 mation on firmly- Editor’s note: This article series Fig. 4. Lower Right: Southwest U.S. petroglyph showing possible depiction dated archaeological is a condensed version of a much of a Saiga antelope extinct from the Americas since about 12,000 years ago. sites proving that peo- longer submission. Petroglyph photo by Ray Urbaniak. Inset: Photoshop-enhanced version of the ple were in the Old

petroglyph by Ray Urbaniak. Saiga drawing and photo: Wikimedia Commons. Crow Basin long enough to have seen saiga antelope either from Ray Urbaniak is an engineer by educa- lion to 10,000 years ago— Central Asia a few thousand tion and profession; however, he is an they spread not only as far artist and passionate amateur arche- miles away or while saiga ologist at heart with many years of were still present in systematic field research on Native Alaska.) American rock art, especially as related to archaeoastronomy, equinoxes and http://www.beringia.com/ solstices in Utah. He has noted that research/saiga.html standard archaeological studies commonly record details of material culture Radiocarbon Dates on Saiga but overlook the sometimes incredible Antelope (Saiga tatarica) celestial archeological evidence. Fossils from Yukon and the Urbaniak has also played a major role Northwest Territories C.R. in documenting and raising concerns HARINGTON1 and JACQUES for the accelerating vandalism, de- CINQ -MARS2 struction and theft of Native American rock art. He has brought state repre- http:// sentatives to rock art sites with the arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/ hope of at least placing labels as arctic/index.php/arctic/ protected nearby what he calls “sacred article/view/1218/1243 art” sites as a deterrent to vandalism. Urbaniak’s book, Anasazi of Southwest Note 1: http:// Utah: The Dance of Light and Shadow wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/ (2006), is a collection of color photo- biggame/pdf/ graphs of previously unrecorded Ana- rocky_mtn_goat_plan.pdf sazi or Ancestral Pueblo solstice markers, equinox and cross-quarter mark- Note 2: http:// ers in SW Utah including both petro- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ glyph and horizon markers as well as Harrington% the first general guidelines for identi- 27s_Mountain_Goat fying solstice and equinox markers. His rock art photographs include clear Fig. 5. Top: Petroglyph panel in Arizona clearly depicting several differ- Peccary and gazelle descriptions with many photographs ent types of animals (Photo by Ray Urbaniak). Bottom Left: Comparing being time-sequenced as events oc- curred along with compass, angular one of the rock art depictions with a peccary. Bottom Right: Comparing Fig. 5 is part of a orientations, and other information. one of the depictions with a gazelle (Photos: Wikimedia Commons). petroglyph panel showing what appears Webpage: http:// west as England but also to be (along with probable www.naturalfrequency.net/Ray/index.htm eastward to the Northwest bighorn sheep and other E-mail: [email protected] Territories of Canada as well as animals) depictions of a pec- into Alaska. The oldest radio- cary or New World pig and a carbon-dated saiga known is gazelle-like animal. about 37,000 years old, from

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 3 PAGE 4

The straight line route A different perspective on trekking from Central Asia to the U.S. Southwest By John Feliks

Could individual prehistoric peo- Bering Strait ple have trekked Central Asia from Central Asia to Utah re- membering the Great Salt Lake, animals of Asia Utah as Ray Urbaniak suggests in our March-April issue? Yes, they could. The distance from Central Asia to Utah (not counting terrain) is c. 5,000 miles. Many people have walked across the continental U.S., over 3,000 miles, averaging about 3-7 Inset. How the Central-Asia-to-the- months. One made Americas route is traditionally perceived. the trip with his dog. Another aver- Fig. 1. Straight line route from Central Asia to the U.S. Southwest. This map assumes a Bering Strait land bridge aged 45 miles a present at many times in the distant past. Even without a bridge there would only have been a few miles of sea day, another 34 to cross. Inset shows the traditional way of perceiving the route encouraged by viewing the earth from the side. miles a day carrying nearly 44 lbs. of In the March-April issue way everyone is accustomed in the Journal of Human Evo- gear. Another made of PCN, engineer and rock to viewing it—from the lution relating evidence that the trip twice, to- art preservationist, Ray side—as shown in the inset early people spent quite a bit taling nearly 7,000 Urbaniak, offered a very of Fig. 1, you can see why more time on the move than miles; another, interesting proposal that many imagine a 5,000-mile originally thought (“Ancient three times, totaling ancient people could have ocean voyage as a sort of people and Neandertals were nearly 10,000 miles. made the trip from Cen- shortcut to the New World. extreme travelers,” or, A runner did it in tral Asia to the American However, when you look at “Stone Age prime time for two months. And Southwest within their the world differently, a direct trekking,” in the April 20 these are only a own lifetimes—a brief route across land from Cen- print edition). While Bower, portion of the list. enough time to remember tral Asia to the continental unfortunately, continues to and depict Asian animals U.S. is a lot more reason- propagate the mainstream If average modern- in American rock art. able. It’s all a matter of be- nonsense of distinguishing day people can do ing open to looking at new between Neanderthal’s and such things. how At first the idea seems ludi- evidence—and looking at old “humans,” the crux of his much more would crous to all of us raised to evidence in new ways. article is that early humans our much stronger think in the standard migra- in general were character- ancestors have tion terms of thousands of In the March 8 online edition ized by “extreme mobility.” been able to do? years. And when a map of of Science News, Bruce the world is viewed in the Bower paraphrases a paper > Cont. on page 5

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

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Straight line route from Central Asia to the U.S. Southwest

The original researchers, Colin evidence for the potential of Caltrans 300,000-year old Shaw and Jay Stock of the very early Bering Strait mastodon kill site in California University of Cambridge com- crossings as far back as sev- (PCN #3, Jan-Feb. 2010) and “Early hu- pared the leg strength of stone eral hundred thousand years many others which we have mans in gen- age people with that of human ago (Out of Africa revisited, covered in this publication. groups today and came to the PCN #3, Jan-Feb. 2010; The eral were So, Urbaniak’s idea that character- conclusion that ancient humans’ abomination of Calico, part 3, legs were substantially more PCN #8). PCN editor Tom Bald- some U.S. rock art could be ized by powerful than those of either win provided estimates of an of Central Asian animals or ‘extreme Neolithic-age hunter-gatherers available Bering Land Bridge at extinct American species gains momentum as more mobility.’” or modern tested groups. Com- 13,000, 125,000, 325,000, and bined with other interdisciplinary 425,000 years ago (Breaking evidence that people have evidence this makes the poten- the Clovis barrier, PCN #16, been in the Americas a great tial of regular Paleolithic treks March-April 2012). This is all deal longer than believed. across the Bering Strait Land not to mention the years of And if Urbaniak is right, they Bridge seem less formidable. evidence provided by foun- may even have kept some- der, Virginia Steen-McIntyre, what accurate visual records Pleistocene Coalition founding regarding the 250,000-year of animals which are now members, Jim Harrod and Chris old Valsequillo sites in Mex- extinct or otherwise known Hardaker, also discussed ico as well as sites such as the to us only through fossils.

Without scientific oversight or consensus dates, Calico Early Man Site is renamed and emasculated By Virginia Steen-McIntyre

The Calico Early Man Site is This is not the type of man- we have from former site no more. agement one expects of a director, Fred E. Budinger, 50-year old archaeological Jr., it is best not to take any- Oh, it's still there alright, but site with thousands of cata- thing for granted in this case no one is permitted to exam- logued artifacts and a long of altering the history of an ine the deep stratigraphic history of researchers and archaeological site. “It reminds layers where the old tools me of a publications. It reminds me occur. of a scene from George Or- They have also started work scene from on the debitage from the And as if that weren’t well's futuristic novel, 1984. George Or- Master Pits at Calico (that is, enough to make shrewd the debitage that remains well's fu- people wonder what is going In changes that must be questioned by objective sci- after much of the material turistic on, the name of the site has was indiscriminately tossed also been changed after a entists, it appears that new novel, excavations will be confined out last year by the site’s, 49–year history with the new director. 1984.” changes being quickly dis- to near-surface sites only. seminated to various publi- The new director at Calico, For details on the lack of cations without professional Dr. Dee Schroth, does plan scientific rigor involved in consensus. to archive field notes and this clean-out project, see, Protecting Calico, PCN#17, According to the spring 2013 letters on acid-free paper and plans to digitize “all the May-June 2012 where for- issue of The Calico Core, the mer Director Budinger has newsletter for the Friends of slides, photographs, tapes and videos that Calico has told of deliberate destruction Calico, Inc., and the Calico of evidence at Calico. Mountains Archaeological amassed through its 49+ Site in Yermo, CA, it will be years of history.” However, The evidence at Calico has called, “The Calico Mountains digital is a complex and rela- been accumulating since Archaeological Site, a part of tively new medium which has Louis Leakey was its Director the 900-acre Calico Moun- not stood the test of time as and excavator from 1963-72. tains Archaeological District.” far as archiving goes; it is The announcement goes on never a good idea to discard Any ideas what next discred- to say, “To avoid any more time-tested archival media ited Early Man site we should confusion, we will be using such as photographs and focus our spotlight on? only that name for now on.” slides if that is their intention; and from information

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 3 PAGE 6

Member news and other info, awards, and censorship

One thing we forgot to Macnab endured a recent violent incidents, harass- mention in the Jan-Feb. experience of censorship on ment of artists and scientists issue is that Maggie Facebook having access to her seemed insignificant and was Macnab’s superb book, account instantly closed down quite low on everybody's prior- based on something she ex- ity list. That was until now! Design by Nature, re- pressed. (We at the PC know ceived the 2012 New quite a bit about such things in The fact that they added this Mexico-Arizona the field of anthropology. The article shows that psychologi- Book Award for editor was also unable to ac- cal pressures, legal threats, bullying and harassment of non-fiction. Santa Fe, cess Facebook in April.) artists is finally being recog- N.M.—December 19, Update on awareness nized as an unacceptable 2012. The competition form of violence as well. drew more than 400 and effects of aboriginal entries. See Macnab’s violence The next goal is to have the article, Designed by na- By Vesna Tenodi harassment of archaeologists ture: Symbols & myth, in who do not toe the politi- PCN#21, Jan-Feb. 2013. An important development in cally -enforced party -line and suppression of politically- Macnab is an interna- regard to Aboriginal violence incorrect archaeological finds tional award-winning in Australia. become recognized as graphic designer, author, A group of Australian intellec- equally unacceptable behav- and lecturer teaching at Santa tuals and ethicists have been ior and eradicated. On the Aus- Fe University of Art and De- trying, for years, to make the tralian front: sign, the Institute of American Australian and international Upcoming topics Indian Arts, the University of communities aware of this “The next New Mexico, and Santa Fe problem of which most people In upcoming issues we plan goal is to Community College. She is are unaware, through their to publish stories on some also a lecturer in the popular highly controversial artifacts have the informative website, http:// TEDx program (“Ideas worth indigenousviolence.org/dnn/ that need to be re-assessed harassment spreading”) and is committed from an interdisciplinary and of archae- to creative problem solving Earlier this year some Aborigi- open-minded perspective. based on nature. Macnab’s nes attacked a Polish designer, ologists If in the past century scien- Tedx lecture about the book for using repetitive triangles in tific interpretations have who do not (called Design by nature: her design, claiming that trian- been colored by faulty pre- toe the po- Maggie Macnab at TEDx- gles are “sacred” to them and dispositions then virtually AcequiaMadre) is posted on cannot be used without their litically- every artifact and every claim YouTube and can be seen at: permission. We sent an official need to be assessed anew. Go enforced http://www.youtube.com/watch? complaint requesting that Aus- through the literature; if you party-line v=2KT-R6AUXes. Macnab will tralian authorities finally do and sup- also teach from Design by something about this ideo- find something problematic or pre-conceived in the science, pression of Nature at the U.S. Embassy in logical terrorism. Nicaragua this summer in an consider writing about it. For A good indication that we politically- event funded by the Casa de instance, there was a time in soon might see some posi- incorrect Los Tres Mundos foundation. anthropology when early tive change was inclusion of archaeologi- Native American people were Originally published in English, our complaint in that webpage not considered capable of cal finds be- Design by Nature is also avail- on 1 May 2013, under the representational art. Such come recog- able in Spanish, Chinese, and heading: 1/5/13 Harassment evolution-tenet-based ideas nized as Korean, with a Japanese trans- of Polish artist over geometric have been long debunked. lation due out this year. designs. That website is dedi- equally un- cated to listing forms of seri- We will also be including acceptable Despite her efforts encourag- ous violence which happen evidence for interconnected- behavior ing people to explore their own within aboriginal communities ness of Pleistocene cultures. identities rather than allowing We are looking for interdisci- and eradi- every day and are becoming themselves to be controlled by more frequent towards non- plinary thinking. However, cated.” the media or told who they are aboriginal society as well. In we will still retain a high by large corporations it seems comparison to other extreme standard of scientific rigor.

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Atmospheric pressure, sea levels, and land temperatures during glacial maxima

By Alan Cannell, M.SC., Civil engineer

1. Why do Sea Level do they stop at these where, with the rise and fall Changes Stop? depths? of the seas, large tracts of dry land emerge and then The last major magnetic The answer seems to lie in sink again below the waves. reversal took place 0.78mya, the geography of the shallow “The ques- which—coincidence or not— seas and continental shelves The largest of these areas is tion is not coincided Sunda, so much with the the land start of the exposed great ice during ages. A look glacial at sea water periods levels in the between Red Sea S.E. (Hannish Asia and Sill) shows Austra- that these lia. A have risen 1000km and fallen cross between section why these two ex- from the cycles oc- tremes hills on cur, but many times the east over the Thai why do past 500ky1 coast they stop (Fig. 1). Fig. 1. Sea levels in the Red Sea (Hanish Sill) over the past 500,000 years. directly at these Slow cooling east to depths?” leads to a glacial minimum that lie between latitudes the Spratly Islands shows at about -120m below the +30 and -30. This is the that most of this area lies at present level, rapid warming zone less than 100m below to a new equilibrium at of the current sea level around current values. The trade (Fig. 2): at the coast, the land 400 rises steeply, be- yond the conti- 300 nental shelf, at about -120m, the 200 sea floor drops off 100 sharply.

0 In other words,

0 the rate of change 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 900 950

-100 1000 in sea Surface Area (SA) per -200 change in height -300 (dh) goes from close to zero, to a -400 maximum then back to around -500 zero. Sathiamurthy and Voris 2 have Fig. 2. Cross Section E-W of the Sunda Plateau (latitude 8 degrees N) showing height to present sea level. Inset: Location of cross-section—red line—in center (Cambodia and Vietnam are directly above). estimated this rate for 10m intervals question is not so much why winds where most water for the entire these cycles occur, but why vapor evaporation takes Sunda zone and, as shown place and is also the zone > Cont. on page 8

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Glacial maxima (cont.) below (See Fig. 3), the change minimum sea level can be taken Freshly fallen snow is composed in SA in km2 per change in 10m as around 8 million km2. Virtu- of about 70% air by volume and (dSA/dh) goes from some 160,000 ally all of these major coastal compacted snow (firn) about shelves follow a similar 50%. At Byrd Station, Antarc- pattern of rapid drop-off tica, this firn transforms into ice 400000 around -120m and a at about 56m depth with a grad- 350000 sharply elevating coastline ual ‘close-off’ of porosity. The ice 300000 at the present sea level. at this stage “contains approxi- 250000 mately 10 per cent air by vol- Surprisingly, the highly ume in the form of discrete bub- 200000 complex interrelation of ice, bles.” 4 At this point this air is 150000 sea and land follows a very effectively removed from atmos- 100000 simple equation: when change in SA km2 pheric circulation. These bubbles dSA/dh is at a minimum 50000 are reduced in size as internal the feedback process stops pressure increases until in the 0 and this is reached when deeper and bubble-free ice sea level is at the present

0 to 10 below 1200m air entrapment or at -120m (120m below ceases to be in bubble form and 0 to minus 10 present sea-level). the gas molecules are dissolved 2. The new lands in in the ice as hydrates.5

minus 10 to minus 20 minus 20 to minus 30 minus 30 to minus 40 minus 40 to minus 50 minus 50 to minus 60 minus 60 to minus 70 minus 70 to minus 80 minus 80 to minus 90

minus 90 to minus 100 minus 100 to minus 110 minus 110 to minus 116 glacial eras depth Under present-day climatic condi- At low stands the world is a tions, the air content of polar ice Fig. 3. Change in Land Surface Area per Change in Sea level. very different place: much generally shows a high sensitivity of today’s temperate zones to the atmospheric pressure and km2 in new sea area as the level are under ice, but in compensa- hence to the surface elevation rises from zero to +10m, to a tion whole new areas appear, of the ice sheet where the ice 6 maximum of 250-350,000 km2 mainly in the tropics. Total land is formed. There is also a high between -10 and -60m and and sea areas between latitudes variability in samples with higher average air content taken from Zone Area km2(*1000) then falls back to 30,000 30N and 30S are shown in Fig. 5. Alaska, which may reflect that the Gulf of Mexico 731 km2 at -110m to -116m. At glacial maximums the land effective pore close-off happens at area is thus increased by 3.1% Guyanas 478 Water vapor is the most a shallower depth. (In this case, and thus the difference between Brazil 240 potent greenhouse gas, insolation may be a factor that and changes in sea level present and glacial land and sea leads to the formation of ‘lids’ Cape Agulhas 107 form a feedback process: areas changes by 6.2%. This in layers with high air density, Congo 77 when warming is taking not only has an enormous effect thus trapping the air below).7 Guinea 89 place the ice caps melt and on the evaporation of water When sea levels dropped by Red Sea W 92 new areas of warm tropical vapor, but also affects the overall seas are added that will air pressure levels over ‘dry’ land. 120m over 70% of the surface Red Sea E 90 increase water vapor in of the earth, this water was 3. Air pressure during gla- Persian Gulf 287 the air through evapora- locked into the ice caps, hence cial eras India W 250 tion; when cooling is tak- the volume of this new ice on land (specific density of ice/firn ing place there is transfer The original research into glacial Burma 488 = 0.9) would have been around: of vapor to the ice sheets air pressure was carried out by Papua W 32 which stops when no signifi- Marie-Antoinette Mélières in 1991.3 Surface of the Earth (SE)* 120m* Thai Gulf /Java Sea 1803 cant new dry land is gained which looked at the changes in 0.7/0.9 = SE*93cubic meters S China Sea 654 by a further drop in sea atmospheric mass. This paper This ice built up over land level along the continen- makes a series of assumptions in Cairns 247 masses and continental shelves tal shelves. If we assume order to arrive at the conclusion Philipines 158 at lower heights; hence the air evaporation (E) to be pro- that pressure was approximately N Australia 1464 volume was slightly higher than portional to SA, then dE/dh unchanged. However, some of the 10% formed at altitudes of Baja California 81 follows the same pattern. these are not true; in particular Equilibrium sea levels are 3000m on the Antarctic and California 31 that land area remains constant. reached when: dE/dh 0 Greenland ice caps (where most E Africa 72 As the impact of climate on re- ice-core drilling has taken place). With Google Earth it is pos- Based on Alaskan samples this air Total 7471 cent human evolution and expan- sible to estimate the major sion cannot be underestimated, it represents some 12-13% at a Fig. 4. Estimate of major areas areas within the tropics may be time to take another look close-off pressure of some 1.2 within the tropics affected by affected by glacial sea level at these established truths. atmospheres. Thus the volume of glacial sea level changes. changes, using the -120m trapped air would be 12-13%*1.2 contour as a guide (Fig. 4): 3.1 Sequestration or some 15% of this volume: When islands are taken into Ice caps not only lock away SE*93*0.15 = SE *14m consideration, the total land water as they develop in area area exposed during a glacial and depth, they also entrap air. > Cont. on page 9

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Glacial maxima (cont.) To this must be added the air decline of 20%. Thus if the aver- would absorb from 6-10% of the sequestered in the extensive age number of water gas mole- present atmospheric carbon, marine and marine-grounded ice cules presently in the atmosphere again leading to a feedback proc- which did not cause a drop in sea is about 2% (NASA), the total ess: as more carbon is seques- level. This has drop in water molecules in the tered by the new forests there

Total Surface Area (30N to 30S) 258019956 been considered atmosphere during glacial periods would be more gradual cooling. to be about would be about 11%(SST)+ 20% Total Land Present 77405987 30% 50% of the (Dryness)=31%. At a density of The reverse is also true: as the Total Water Present 180613969 70% land ice. Hence 0.804 g/l (in comparison with that globe warms and sea levels rise, these forests would be sub- Exposed Land (-120m) 8000000 the ‘removal’ of of dry air at 1.27 g/l at STP), merged in sea water, releasing 33,1% a ‘layer’ of air, this is equivalent to a loss of Total Glacial Land 85405987 when corrected atmospheric pressure of 2% the stored carbon in the form Total Glacial Sea 172613969 66,9% for sea level at *0.31* 0.804/1.27 = 0.4%. of CO2 and methane. The difference is that this process would Fig. 5. Total land and sea areas between 1 bar, is the This is equivalent to an eleva- latitudes 30N and 30S. equivalent of a tion of about 45m. Dr Mélières be at a much faster rate as drop in atmos- presents a lower figure of about forests die off under salt water. pheric pressure of some 20m. 1hPa, the equivalent of 10m. This is observed in ice core data: 3.2 Isostatic Deformation 3.4 Lower Sea Levels = sea levels drop slowly during the Lower Air Pressure over cooling stage; when warming “Surpris- Although the volume of closed-off starts there is a rapid ‘burp’ of ice is very similar to the volume Present Day Landmasses ingly, the and increases Feedback carbon and sea levels rise rapidly of water ‘lost’ from the sea, the (as can be seen in Fig. 1). highly com- concentration of land ice in very During the stable glacial maxi- plex interre- thick deposits had a significant mums, the present day coast- References isostatic effect on these land lines were 120m above sea level. 1Fernandes, CA, EJ Rohling, and M Siddall. 2006. lation of ice, Absence of post-Miocene Red Sea land bridges: sea and areas, forcing the land—through Thus the drop in air pressure biogeographic implications. Journal of Biogeography. elastic and viscous mantle flow— over current land expressed in 2Sathiamurthy, E, and HK Voris. 2006. Maps of land follows to deform and sink. During a equivalent present day height Holocene Sea Level Transgression and Submerged Lakes on the Sunda Shelf. The Natural History a very sim- maximum glacial event, about above sea level would be: Journal of Chulalongkorn University, Supplement 2: 1-43, August 2006. ple equa- one fifth of the SE was under ? 120m(drop in sea level)+ ice—about two thirds of this over 3Mélières, M -A, P Martinerie, D Raynaud, and L tion: when ? 20m(air sequestration)+ Lliboutry. 1991. Glacial -interglacial mean sea level land or marine grounded. Taking pressure change due to sea level, ice sheet and dSA/dh is at ? 10m(glacial deformation)+ atmospheric mass changes. Palaeogeography, 100m as a working estimate for Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 89:333-340 333. ? 45m(loss of gaseous water) a minimum average deformation, this volume 4Gow, AJ. 1968. Preliminary results of studies of had to be filled with air molecules =195m. ice cores from the 2164m deep drill hole, Byrd the feed- Station, Antarctica. International Association of back proc- causing a further drop in global For cold, dry air, this drop in pres- Hydrological Sciences Publication 86: 78-90 atmospheric pressure. At 1bar, sure signifies a drop in tempera- 5Shoji, H., and CC Langway Jr. 1982. Air hydrate ess stops inclusions in fresh ice core. Nature 298 August 1982. this is equivalent to some 10m. ture of about 2 degrees Celsius. and this is 6Martinerie, P., D Raynaud, DM Etheridge, J-M 3.3 Water Vapor and Air Pressure Barnola and D Mazaudier. 1992. Physical and reached This process also has a feed- climatic parameters which influence the air Dry air is denser than moist air content in polar ice. Earth and Planetary Science back effect: Letters . August 1992. when sea in the present climate. However, ? as cooling starts, ice caps 7Ruth, U., J Freitag, P Kaufmann, S Kipfstuhl, D level is at when there is a massive global develop ? air sequestered Raynaud. 2004. Continuous measurements of air content: First results from the EDML ice core, the present reduction in water gas molecules ? sea levels drop ? ice loading ? deformation Antarctica. American Geophysical Union, Fall or at -120m (as more dry land is exposed Meeting 2004. San Francisco, and vapor trapped in ice), over- ? reduction in gaseous water ? 8Rind, D., and D Peteet. 1985. Terrestrial conditions (120m be- resulting drop in air pressure at the Last Glacial Maximum and CLIMAP sea- all atmospheric pressure drops. surface temperature Quaternary Research 24:1-22. low present ? lower air pressure? further The first cause of this decrease cooling, etc. 9MARGO Project Members. 2009. Constraints on sea-level).” the magnitude and patterns of ocean cooling at the in water vapor is due to the fall The reverse is also true: during Last Glacial Maximum. Nature Geoscience 2:127-32. in surface sea temperatures a warming event, ice melts, re- ALAN CANNELL, M.SC., is an interna- (SST) which lowers the value leases air and sea levels rise, all tional civil engineer specialized in for saturation of water in air. leading to even more warming. urban transport and structuring. His SST levels fell by some 3-5C anthropology work has been featured over the latitudes +30 to -30 4. Carbon in NatureNews (the journal Nature's thus saturation fell from around When sea levels drop 120m, most online magazine), Scientific American 1.8% (at 21C) to 1.6% (at of the new dry land exposed be- (France), and the Journal of Archaeo- 16C): a decline of 11%.7-8 tween +/-30 degrees latitude lies logical Science. One of the early next to tropical forests and would founding members of the Coalition, The second reduction is due to have been gradually ‘colonized,’ Cannell has written many articles on a wide range of topics since the first the overall global dry conditions first by swamps and then forests, issue of Pleistocene Coalition News. as vapor is locked away as ice, with the tropical forest value more land exposed and less tropi- of about 200 tons of carbon BRT website: cal sea areas exposed to evapora- per hectare finally being fixed. http://www.taspublications.co.uk/content/ tion. An approximation of this bus-rapid-transit/5-pioneering-systems- effect has been made of an extra This process takes time and that-have-sparked-world-wide-interest

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Debunking evolutionary propaganda, Part 1 Basic propaganda techniques in college textbooks

A lifelong reader of textbooks in every field exposes “thousands” of examples of false statements of fact and other propaganda techniques easily spotted in anthropology, biology, and paleontology textbooks

By John Feliks

“Evidence of the confla- science and propaganda used years of invertebrate paleontol- tion of rhetoric and propa- only in evolution-based materi- ogy—with no indoctrination— ganda, under the general als to control beliefs about hu- prior to taking on evolutionary psychology. What I know of the notion of persuasion, has man origins (e.g., Figs. 1 & 2). fossil record, therefore, is pretty become Always remember that real “clean.” As all researchers know, increas- the fossil record can logically be sciences—unlike evolutionary ingly obvi- regarded a record of appearances ous, espe- sciences—do not need to cially in the employ propaganda or co- classroom.” ercion as they simply go wherever the evidence -Bennett and leads. However, evolution- O'Rourke, “A ary fields are ideologically Prolegomenon pre-committed and depend to the Future entirely upon propaganda and Study of Rheto- ric and Propa- withholding conflicting evi- ganda.” Read- dence in order to persuade. ings in Propa- ganda and A few of the techniques em- Persuasion: ployed ubiquitously in evolution New and Classic textbooks include the following Essays (Jowett list. It is only a sampling so and O'Donnell, as to leave space for a few Eds., 2006) visual cover examples. While Question: reading the list ask yourself if Fig. 2. The Introduction to Physical How does one thousands of such examples Anthropology series—which is purportedly about humanity—has never make an ide- could be given for textbooks Fig. 1. The field is “anthropology.” in sciences such as physics, employed a picture of an actual ology claimed human being on any of its 14 Anthropology: the study of humanity. as fact appear chemistry, astronomy, geol- covers but rather images of apes overwhelm- ogy, mathematics, psychol- or creatures rhetorically referred to You should have no doubt whatsoever that ingly true to ogy. Most likely the reader as “hominids.” The technique has you’ve been intellectually compromised— already knows that they could the effect of causing students to including with assessment skills deleted—if students never taught not be. As far as science goes, associate the term “Anthropology” you can look at the title and cover of this with apes. Manipulation at this required college textbook and not find how to think the following techniques are essential tools of the evolution level presented as fact is an affront something wrong with the picture. Each critically? to education just as a hypothetical edition of Introduction to Physical Anthro- trade because they are po- book called, 2+2=5: The History pology (1-14), features a similar contradic- Answer: 1.) litical. They have to do with of Mathematics, would be to tion of text and image that would be unac- Turn science controlling people’s thinking. anyone interested in mathematics; ceptable in any true science. Not one cover textbooks into The stakes are very high: the difference is that mathema- includes the face of a human being. Anthro- propaganda; ticians are not so easily duped. pology in all of its forms (except linguistic — 2.) Intimidate · Faulty Cause & Effect the most reputable) has a long history of (This technique suggests that manipulating or outright deceiving the pub- students who and disappearances —but not a because B follows A, A must have lic. It is used as a powerful tool to manipu- question the record of causes and effects . caused B. Remember, just late both cultural and personal identity. propaganda; because two events or two sets 3.) Withhold · Card stacking (Evidence of data are related does not conflicting evidence. conflicting with the agenda is necessarily mean that one kept from the target audience, This series is intended to help caused the other to happen. causing students, professors, This is the #1 flaw of evolution- readers discern between normal ary thinking. My first love is 30 > Cont. on page 11

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Debunking propaganda in college textbooks (cont.)

and the public in general to · Deception or false state- · Red herring (Presenting data naively believe that the evidence ments of fact (Ubiquitous in that, while compelling, is not for evolution is overwhelming.) evolution textbooks; Fig. 4) relevant to the argument, and A belief that then claiming it validates the

· Association (This is one of the the evidence · Half-truth (Deceptive state- argument. (Used constantly in most common techniques of propa- ment which may include evolution textbooks.) for evolution ganda. As Figs. 1, 3, 5 & 6 show some element of truth; a very clearly the intention is ubiquitous mainstay of evo- to force association between lutionary rhetoric. Fig. 4) apes, etc., and the word “Anthropology.” Everyone · Bandwagon (Attempt to knows that anthropology is persuade the target audience the study of humanity—not the study of apes. But the to accept an agenda because “everyone else is a believer.” intention is to make the two appear synonymous. Typical NCSE trick.) Try this test of confidence Milieu control (Controlling in one’s own critical think- · ing: Look at the picture in social environment and ideas Fig. 1 and say to one’s self through social pressure; a the word, “humanity.” If mainstay evolutionary tactic.) you get a sense that something’s not quite right then · Obfuscation (Intentional you are on your way out of vagueness, confusion; a a propaganda-induced mainstay evolutionary trick.) Fig. 3. “Association” and delusion. To force such “Managing the news” with sub- buffoonery on students in · Demonizing the enemy liminal trickery: In anthropol- a captive audience setting and Name-calling (Making ogy, fossil apes are always is an affront to education. those with conflicting views rendered to appear highly- It has spread throughout appear subhuman. E.g., Any- intelligent and thoughtful and academia with few students one who “doesn’t believe” in associated with the word Fig. 5. One of the ancient beings on this or professors capable of evolution is “stupid,” “ignorant,” “Anthropology.” See the PCN propaganda textbook cover created the spotting it (see also, Ardi: or “insane.” -Richard Dawkins.) article, “Ardi: How to Create a 400,000-year old modern-level Bilzingsleben How to Create a Science I’m champing at the bit! Science Myth,” Pleistocene engravings. Anthropology students, how- Myth). Teaching fantasy Coalition News, Jan-Feb. 2010. ever, could never distinguish such a person science as fact without Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt · here because in anthropology ape fossils (1st presenting (E.g., making two rows) are always depicted as beings conflicting evi- is “over- people believe more intelligent than apes, and early human dence—especially that they will fossils as beings less intelligent than modern whelming” is when primary not be able to humans. This is to force the idea of evolv- a modern tenets such as find work if ing intelligence even though there is abso- cognitive evolu- academic they do not lutely no evidence for such in either the tion have al- accept evolu- archaeological or paleontological records . ruse directly ready been tion ideology. related to falsified—should Used by AAAS Unstated assumption: (A have no place in CEO Alan Leshner.) · propaganda. the classroom.) technique used when the idea the Students · Obtain disap- propagandist wants to plant would seem less credible if stated · Disinforma- proaval (Adherents don’t come clearly. The concept is instead tion (The crea- try to make evolu- out of uni- tion or deletion tion synonymous simply assumed or implied, like the Darwinian idea that intelli- of information with science refer- versity able gence evolves. This idea has from public ring to those chal- to think for been falsified. By blocking falsi- records in the Fig. 4. Historical Geology lenging evolution as purpose of fications from the public the themselves (2008-2012), a required text- “attacking science.”) making a false evolution community is showing on the mat- book, makes unapologetic use its willingness to use censorship record of an of rhetorical tricks and so many · Thought- ter—as one event. The for the sake of perpetuating a false statements in every edi- terminating deception. Evolutionary as- author has clichés (Blocking might ex- tion that it could be used as a sumptions are not science but experienced teaching guide for propaganda discussion through pect—but this directly.) part of a belief system, so its technique. The book is beauti- use of overly sim- proponents block any evidence only with a fully-presented with many plistic phrases or · Managing the conflicting with the belief.) set of in- truthful facts; but that is part arguments. E.g., news (A single “attacks on science,” of how propaganda works. · Glittering generalities (Used structions on idea is forced as typified by NCSE by evolutionist, Dr. Kenneth on the target CEO, Eugenie C. Scott. As I’ve what to Miller, telling children that accep- audience constantly and is said before, when a science think. repeated over and over again. treats new evidence as an attack Fig. 3 and Fig. 5.) it is in trouble as a science.) > Cont. on page 12

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Debunking propaganda in college textbooks (cont.)

tance of evolution is part of a However, this is the kind of take a major increase in people “really good education” and that thing that one expects in a ready to think for themselves children should only be taught groupthink environment where but then the paradigm will flip. the “best” theories in science. adherents significantly over- Buffoonery rate their own abilities and -Continued in Part 2 like this and underrate those of their oppo- all similar nents. Such ideas are only attempting to devised by those approaching Prologue quotes: force a sin- evolution from the perspective “The United States has been gle ideology of fanaticism. One can’t blame described as a ‘nation at risk’ on children them alone, as they too were because we are failing to provide shows that programmed in school and students with the most essential the propa- through PBS television specials component of education— gandists have and lost critical thinking skills instruction that fosters the development of the ability to think.”

-D.F. Halpern citing the National Commission on Excellence in Education.

“The ability of U.S. students to think (rather than to memorize) has declined accordingly.”

-D.F.Halpern citing L.A. Steen’s Mathematics Ed.

“The pattern is clear: the percentage of students achieving higher order skills is declining.”

-Baron & Sternberg, Ibid. “One JOHN F ELIKS has specialized at- in the study of early human tempt cognition for nearly twenty at em- years, demonstrating that Fig. 6. Latest edition of Introduction to Physical Anthropology, i.e. Edition #14. The Lower portion human cognitive abilities do ploying of the cover has been enlarged so that readers can clearly see the creatures chosen this time to not evolve. He has experi- this represent “humanity.” Propaganda techniques are only necessary in evolutionary sciences. enced repeated censorship trick… of empirical geometric evidence by the evolution was...to no idea whatsoever as to how just as modern students are at community because it does not support try and get critical thinking actually works.) risk for unless they take charge the community’s commitment to the Lincoln’s of their own minds early on.) Darwinian belief system. He wrote the and Dar- · Transfer (Attempt is made to article, Ardi: How to Create a Science transfer the prestige of a posi- Evolutionary propaganda is a Myth, and claims that all “pre-human win’s hominids” are just as easy to debunk tive symbol to a person or an misuse of human language as Ardi. Before that, Feliks’ focus was birthdays idea. One attempt at employ- and psychology. The only way to be cele- on the invertebrate fossil record studying this trick by the science I can think of to make reform ing fossils in situ across the U.S. and brated in community was the 2009 possible from the inside where parts of Canada as well as studying tandem as campaign to compare Charles the propaganda has free many of the classic texts such as Trea- an interna- Darwin with Abraham Lincoln reign—grade school through tise on North American Fossils , Index because they were each born Fossils of North America, etc., presently tional holi- on the same day! Contrived college and university text- keeping up with current claims of day.” comparisons were made such books and instruction—is to speciation. Claims for purported as suggesting that each was a make critical thinking a re- transitional invertebrate fossils are as “defender of freedom”— quired class for anyone go- easy to debunk as hominids because when a paradigm is flawed it is not Lincoln, freedom for the ing into sciences which asso- slaves, and Darwin, freedom difficult at all to debunk every single ciate themselves with a pre- thing it contains. Feliks encourages for the mind. Suggestions committed ideological belief students going through standard edu- went so far as to try and get cation to challenge the ideology being Lincoln’s and Darwin’s birth- instead of the normal objectiv- ity present in other sciences. forced upon them as fact in the captive days to be celebrated in tan- audience science classroom—especially dem as an international holi- Sciences which currently in anthropology, biology, and paleon- day. The attempt shows the claim evolution as their core— tology—with full confidence that sup- complete depravity of the biology, paleontology, anthro- pressed evidence is there to support Darwin-absorbed hive mind. pology—are in trouble. It will them in each of these fields .

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A renaissance in Neanderthal studies

By Vesna Tenodi MA, archaeology; artist and writer

Neanderthal genome se- Neanderthal individual. various points in the prehis- quence starts up revolu- tory of mankind, or other “The idea tion in evolutionary the- The Leipzig team has already interpretations. that mod- ory been able to determine ern humans which genes the Neanderthal Mystic human ancestors On 19 March 2013 the Max inherited from its mother On top of the existing fossil originated Planck Institute for Evolu- and which from its father. evidence, genome sequenc- in Africa tionary Anthro- The team now hopes to com- ing is now providing further pology, in Leip- pare the new genome se- and insights into Neanderthals, in gradually zig, Germany, quence to that of other Ne- announced that anderthals, modern humans support of a theory that they were skilful, innovative, spread its team had and Denisovans—another adaptive, and creative. They around completed the extinct human species or made and used a diverse set genome se- subspecies whose genome the world, of sophisticated tools, con- quence of a was previously extracted evolving trolled fire, lived in shelters, Neanderthal from remains found in the made and wore clothing, through (Homo neander- same Siberian cave. thousands thalensis or were skilled hunters, and occasionally made symbolic of years, Homo sapiens Apart from insights gained into many aspects of the or ornamental objects indi- was a sim- neanderthalen- sis—the ongoing history of both Neanderthals cating cognitive mind and ple, clear- debate). The and Denisovans, the team’s the capacity for abstract cut model, team is making the entire findings in 2010 prompted thinking, symbolic behavior and even art (João Zilhão, favored by sequence available to the even some of the most ar- dent advocates of the Afri- The emergence of language, main- scientific community on the Internet. can Origin theory to question art and symbolic thinking: A stream sci- the Out of Africa model. The Neanderthal test of compet- ence, de- Announcing this recent results announced two ing hypotheses, 2011). breakthrough, in an email to months ago reconfirmed that spite being Denisova Cave contains cul- the Associated Press the lead the single point of origin tural layers indicating that the dogma researcher Dr. Svante Pääbo theory can no longer hold human occupation at the site adopted by said, “The genome of a Ne- water. began up to 280,000 years consen- anderthal is now there in a form as accurate as that of The idea that modern hu- ago. Since 1977 when Rus- sus.” any person walking the mans originated in Africa sian scientist Nikolai Ovodov streets today.” and gradually spread around started excavation, more the world, evolving through than 20 cultural strata were In 2010, Pääbo and his col- thousands of years, was a identified. The finger bone leagues presented the first simple, clear-cut model, used for genome sequencing draft of the Neanderthal ge- favored by mainstream sci- was discovered by Anatoly nome based on data col- ence, despite being the Derevianko and Mikhail lected from the femur bones dogma adopted by consen- Shunkov of the Russian of three 38,000-year-old sus. At the same time, that Academy of Sciences in female Neanderthal speci- paradigm was always unac- 2008, among the artifacts in mens found in Vindija Cave ceptable to free-thinking strata 9-11, dated to about in Croatia, and other bones archaeologists who found it 30,000 to 48,000 years be- found in Spain, Russia and to be a somewhat absurd fore present. Remarkably, Germany. In later research, concept. Instead, they favor Neanderthals and their rela- they also used a finger bone a multi-regional theory of tives, Denisovans, were both excavated in 2010 in human origin, cyclic evolu- present in this unique cave Denisova Cave in southern tion, parallel existence of in the Altai Mountains in Siberia to generate a high- both less-developed and quality genome from a single highly advanced cultures at > Cont. on page 14

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Neanderthal renaissance (cont.)

Siberia (Max Planck Re- uppermost of hominin- curred between Neander- search website). bearing strata in the cave, thals and anatomically mod- are associated with Gravet- ern humans (AMH) and pre- Vindija Cave tian-age cultural artifacts, sented evidence that ele- Another primary source of and represent only anatomi- ments of their genome are of DNA for the Neanderthal cally modern humans (I. non-African modern humans. genome project, was from Jankovic, I. Karavanic, and F. Smith, Croatian Academy Vindija is located in the vi- Vindija Cave, a stratified cinity of another famous palaeontological and ar- of Sciences and Arts Ar- chives). Neanderthal site, Krapina chaeological site in Croatia Cave, dated about 130,000 (Fig. 1). The site has 13 In addition to numerous ar- to 30,000 years bp, and levels, known as “The site dated as the world’s [Krapina far back richest Ne- Cave in as anderthal 150,000 Croatia] is finding site, years BP containing protected (before 900 Nean- as a pale- present), derthal fossil ontological several of remains and which 1,191 lithic monument show of nature, tools associ- occupa- ated with and widely tions as- Mousterian. known as a sociated The site is with both protected as geological, Neander- paleon- a paleon- thals and tological tological, anatomi- monument paleoan- cally of nature, modern thropologic and widely humans. Fig. 1. Locations of two Neanderthal sites, Vindija Cave in Croatia (with 13 known as a al and ar- stratified levels dated as far back as c. 150,000 years BP) and Krapina Cave The site geological, cheological con- also in Croatia (dated c. 130,000-30,000 years BP), on a map of the general domain of Neanderthal people. Wikimedia Commons. paleontologi- locality.” tained cal, paleoan- the best thropological preserved Neanderthal fossil chaeological and faunal re- and archeological locality. It remains in the world. mains, over 100 hominin is listed as one of the richest Neanderthal specimens in discoveries have been made Palaeolithic habitats of the the lowest hominin-bearing at Vindija Cave. In 2010, Neanderthal in Croatia and level G3 (38,000-45,000 researchers reported that a Europe (Gorjanovic- years BP) are combined with complete mtDNA sequence Kramberg 1906; Mirko Malez exclusively Mousterian arti- had been retrieved from a et al, 1980; Karavanic and facts. Level G1 (32,000- thigh bone of one of the Ne- Smith, 1998, Croatian Acad- 34,000 years BP) represents anderthals recovered from emy of Sciences and Arts the most recent Neander- there. The bone (called Vi- Archives). 80) comes from level G3, thals at the site and is asso- Just as Denisova Cave con- ciated with both Mousterian and it was direct-dated to 38,310 years BP. The re- tains remains of Neander- and Upper Paleolithic stone thals and Denisovans, Krap- tools. Hominins in Level F searchers interpret their findings as suggesting that ina Cave was occupied by (31,000-28,000 years BP) two distinct sub-species or are associated with the Neanderthals and early modern Homo sapiens who races at the same time. Gor- Aurignacian material and janovic-Kranberger, who according to researchers occupied the cave at different times were “clearly sepa- discovered Krapina Cave in look a little like both ana- 1898, termed them as the tomically modern human rate species,” but that’s the standard recurring debate. higher and the lower Nean- (AMH) and Neanderthal. derthals. Hominins in Level D (less The study determined that than 18,500 years BP, the some mixture of genes oc- > Cont. on page 15

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Neanderthal renaissance (cont.)

Another chip in the armor are dated to 43,000 years bp. though these were found in of Neanderthal-the- The gene flow from Neander- Croatia they belong to the soulless-brute theory thals to modern humans, ac- world. In a great example of cording to the Leipzig team scientific generosity, they said In 1995, Slovenian scientist study, is at least 1 to 4 per- that the Croatian samples of Ivan Turk found an approxi- cent of a modern human’s – Neanderthal remains belong mately 43,100 year-old cave Homo sapiens – genetic to and are a part of the heri- bear femur at Divje Babe, the makeup, and tage of whole oldest known archaeological is independent mankind. In site in neighboring Slovenia. from any out- the same spirit The bone was carved into what of-Africa of scientific many believe was a flute and model. The openness, the was found in the stratum Neanderthal Max Planck “Croatian belonging to the end of the scientists genome and a team is making middle Pleistocene, near a number of their findings made the Mousterian hearth, and attrib- studies in the freely available specimens uted to Neanderthals (Fig. 2). last two years on the internet. freely Ivan Turk called this 113.6 mm have sug- gested that V ESNA T ENODI is available long bone fragment the an archaeologist, modern hu- for genetic “Neanderthal flute.” It is broken artist, and writer at both ends, and has two com- mans and based in Sydney, research plete holes and the incomplete Neanderthals Australia. She purposes, remains of one hole at each had at some received her Mas- ter’s Degree in saying end, indicating that the bone point inter- bred, a proc- Archaeology from may have had four or more the University of that even ess known as holes before being damaged. Zagreb, Croatia. though hybridisation. She also has a these There is an ongoing debate diploma in Fine Researchers were revolving around whether it Arts from the was made by Neanderthal or who advocate School of Applied found in Cro-Magnon. multi-regional Arts in Zagreb. Croatia evolution of Her Degree Thesis If the bone is a flute, it would was focused on they be- sub-species be evidence of the existence or races—or Fig. 2. The Divje Babe cave the spirituality of long to the of music 43,000 years ago. interchange bear femur dated c. 43,100 Neolithic man in years old. The bone was carved Central Europe as of evolution world.” The bone has become an into what many believe was a evidenced in and devolu- attraction in the National Mu- flute and was found in the stra- iconography and tion phases in seum of Slovenia, publicised tum belonging to the end of the symbols in pre- prehistory— middle Pleistocene, near a historic cave art on official Slovenian websites, might feel Mousterian-age hearth. It is and pottery. After aired on TV with tunes played vindicated by attributed to Neanderthals. migrating to Syd- on a clay replica, and is a the new Specimen is in the National ney, she worked source of pride to the country. gene study. Museum of Slovenia. Image: for 25 years for Wikimedia Commons. the Australian Neanderthal and Cro- When it Government, and Magnon interbreeding comes to the ran her own business. Today she Neanderthal, it seems that is an independent researcher and After 300,000 years of domi- the advocates of the main- spiritual archaeologist, concen- nation, it was thought that stream single-minded ap- trating on the origins and mean- European Neanderthals have proach are backing down ing of pre-Aboriginal Australian mysteriously died out about some. rock art. In the process, she is 40,000 years ago. The new developing a theory of the Pre- research and Vindija Cave What I personally find most Aboriginal races which she has delightful is that the story of called the Rajanes and Abra- Level F remains show an over- janes. In 2009, Tenodi estab- lapping period of about 10,000 the Neanderthal project is lished the DreamRaiser project, years, moving the end of the being conducted in a spirit of with a group of artists who explore Neanderthal to 30,000 years cooperation between Croatian, iconography and ideas contained BP, with interbreeding of German, American and other in ancient art and mythology. scientists. Croatian scientists Neanderthals and Cro- Website: www.modrogorje.com Magnons during that over- made the specimens freely Email: [email protected] lapping phase. The earliest available for genetic research known Cro-Magnon remains purposes, saying that even

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Debunking evolutionary propaganda, Part 2: Fictions taught as fact in college textbooks, 1st half

By John Feliks

1.) “Life arose from nonlife.” it is regarded as will incriminate the The statistic “pivotal.” Note one who answers — equating Stated as fact as though proven. also the improper in legal terms known However, no replications have ever use of the term, as “Leading the higher insti- been achieved despite easy ac- “history.” In witness.” Captive tutional edu- cess to zillions of tons of chemi- normal thinking, students should not cals, every force known, and cation with speculations are be forced to profess every conceivable environment. “fiction.” Fiction a challenged theory parading as scien- as though its status “We think that the tific history should as fact is secure. processes leading to raise everyone’s life began nearly 4 bil- eyebrows . -Life: The Science of lion years ago.” Fig. 1. Life: The Science of Biology Biology, 6th Ed. Vol. -Life: The Science (2001-2010). Every edition loaded II: Evolution, Diversity, Note the phrase, “We think.” of Biology, 6th Ed. with false statements of fact. and Ecology; Purves So, is #1 above a fact or not? Vol. II: Evolution, et al., 2001: 576. Here is how normal science Diversity, and Ecology; Purves et would respond: If it is not a fact al., 2001: 587 (Fig. 3, next page). 6.) “Collectively, arthropods then don’t state it as one. (which include the terrestrial in- 4.) “Body plans are basic sects and the marine crustaceans) -Life: The Science of Biology, 5th structural designs” [heading]. are the dominant animals Ed. Vol. I: The Cell and Heredity; “Most animals have either on Earth, both in number of Purves et al 1998:2 (Fig. 1). radial or bilateral symmetry. species (some 1.5 million) 2.) “The appearance of … “The evolution of bilat- and number of individuals eukaryotic cells ... erally symmetrical ani- (estimated at some 10 18 indi- Fig. 2. Historical Geology marks a milestone in mals” [heading]. “The common viduals, or a billion billion).” (2008-2012), a required text- evolution. But where did ancestors of bilateral ani- book, makes unapologetic use mals were probably sim- With this many species and indi- of rhetorical tricks and so many these cells come from?” viduals for easy study one would ple, bilaterally symmetri- expect scientists to be pretty false statements in every edi- Logical fallacy. If you don’t cal animals composed of confident on how insects origi- tion that it could be used as a know where cells came from flattened masses of cells.” nated. Here’s their conclusion: teaching guide for propaganda then how can you say they technique. The book is beauti- evolved? Paraphrase exposes The first heading is a cunning trick fully-presented with many “Insects may have origi- the fallacy: “We know that of understatement diminishing the nated from a centipede- truthful facts; but that is part eukaryotic cells evolved even accomplishment by inserting “basic.” like ancestor as far back of how propaganda works. though we have no evidence.” Without the diversion it reads: as the Devonian period.” “Body plans are structural designs.” -Historical Geology, 5th Ed, Wi- belief in evo- The next heading, presented as cander et al., 2007: 178 (Fig. 2). As always, not too impressive, em- lution is not fact then followed by “probably,” is ploying the typical trick of appealing 3.) The origin of the eu- standard evolutionary doublespeak. to some unknown creature. For all an indication the unknown creatures needed, karyotic cell was one of the -Life: The Science of Biology, 6th Ed. everyone should see that evolution of critical pivotal events in evolution- Vol. II: Evolution, Diversity, and depends more on faith than science. ary history… How did it Ecology; Purves et al., 2001: 562-3. thinking as Up to this point in the timeline, we originate? ... We think we naïvely be- 5.) “Which of the features have no confidence whatsoever in can make some reasonable any stage of evolution; if not for lieved. It is of protostomes [animals with guesses…the steps we sug- insects, how can they later explain bilateral symmetry] do you an indication gest are just that: guesses.” “more complex” developments ? of how cap- think are major evolu- Say what? This is evolution buffoon- tionary novelties?” -Life: The Science of Biology, 6th Ed. tive audience ery at its best: First, present an Vol. II: Evolution, Diversity, and Ecol- propaganda imagined story as though it were In propaganda technique, this is ogy; Purves et al., 2001: 564 & 571. fact. Then, admit that there is no known as a “leading question,” one works. consensus for the tenet even though that no matter how it is answered, > Cont. on page 17

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Fictions taught as fact in college textbooks (cont.)

“Speciation, 7.) “The evolution of the ates fictional characters and the Here is an admission of this point the phenome- ability to fly allowed the second half proceeds to describe from the very same textbook: insects to escape from their abilities. Everyone can recog- non of a new nize simple fiction. This imagina- “Sometimes humans refer potential predators and to species aris- tive fiction is followed by an outright to species as ‘primitive’ or traverse boundaries that false statement of fact, namely: ‘advanced.’ These and simi- ing from an might otherwise have lar terms, such as ‘lower’ “They gradually evolved ancestral been insurmountable.” and ‘higher,’ are best to be able to live on avoided because they imply species, is Something as complex as flight— swampy land and, even- both in the engineering require- that some organisms func- well docu- tually, on dry land.” ments and the physics—must tion better than others.”

mented.” have taken immeasurably long to The whole paragraph is evolu- This is admitting that there are no “evolve.” However, the fossil tionary fiction presented as fact. -Historical Rhyniogna- inefficient species. Scientists have Geology, 7th tha hirsti -Life: The Science of Biology, 6th Ed. 3.5 billion years and miles of Ed, Wicander et (early Vol. II: Evolution, Diversity, and vertical strata with literally zil- al., 2012: 135. Devonian, Ecology; Purves et al., 2001: 587. lions upon zillions of fossils in situ 400 million to work with. Yet after 150 years of 9.) “Amphibians arose This is a trick years old) Darwinism they are still not able to from ancestors they convince the critical thinker—especially statement currently holds the shared with the lungfishes. one familiar with the fossil record. made possible distinction …the stubby, jointed fins This is why fanatics insist on attempt- by a wild card ing to control legislation to assure of being of their ancestors evolved use of the term unchallengeable captive audience not only into walking legs.” “species.” the earliest classroom indoctrination denying students critical thinking experi- The term insect but Standard unknown ancestors evo- ence early on and blocking them “phenomenon,” also the lutionary fiction presented as fact. from any discussion of conflicting is also improp- earliest known -Life: The Science of Biology, 6th Ed. evidence. The goal? Make it so stu- erly used as it animal to Vol. II: Evolution, Diversity, and dents literally can’t think for them- Fig. 3. Life: The Science of Biol- deceptively fly. Insect Ecology; Purves et al., 2001: 587. selves but can only follow a template. implies estab- ogy (Vol. II). Every edition loaded flight is now -Life: The Science of Biology, 6th Ed. lished fact. The with false statements of fact. described 10.) “The design of those legs Vol. II: Evolution, Diversity, and Ecol- as devel- remained largely unchanged only correct ogy; Purves et al., 2001: 587 & page 7. term would be oping with the “suddenness” of throughout the evolution “idea.” Those mak- the Cambrian Explosion—already of terrestrial vertebrates.” 11.) “Considerable uncer- a serious problem for scientists. tainty surrounds the next ing the statement So, R hirsti is another setback for An example of fact blended would easily lose in an ideology with advocates like seamlessly into fiction. It shows lineage split … turtles.” a court of law. The how evolutionists weasel around Richard Dawkins calling those Standard propaganda trick making every innovation factually pre- wild card lets scien- who question it, “stupid,” “pig- it sound as though the claims for ignorant,” or “insane.” With this served in the fossil record. They tists claim “different other splits are not equally charac- do similarly on the design of all species” for animals fossil alone, we have two pivotal terized by uncertainty. The truth is, externally profound features such which can actually so-called “evolutionary” develop- “all” evolutionary claims are uncer- ments —insects invading the land as legs or wings. The fact is that tain, yet the community habitually interbreed. these “designs,” as they call them, to become the most prominent states them as facts. If fields can- employ several types of levers in animals plus the first animal with not abide by the rigors of science a likely ability to fly—both abso- very complex configurations from The fields lack rigor: they should not be called sciences. lutely profound and occurring in insects and other arthropods to 1.) Biology, 6th Ed. a heartbeat. Science can only birds and mammals (some bee- -Life: The Science of Biology, 6th Ed. 2002. Raven et al. describe the organism; the or- tles have such a profound array Vol. II: Evolution, Diversity, and Absolutely ganism itself says absolutely of levers and related structures in Ecology; Purves et al., 2001: 589. nothing about evolution. legs, wings, and wing covers as loaded with to be unmatched for efficiency or 12.) “In his 1859 book, fictions stated -Life: The Science of Biology, 6th Ed. economy by any human construc- On the Origin of Species, as fact. 2.) Vol. II: Evolution, Diversity, and tion whatsoever). In many cases, Charles Darwin amassed Ecology; Purves et al., 2001: 574. Evolutionary the very same levers are built by evidence that all species Analysis completely different means and 8.) “The Devonian prede- with different construction materi- derive from a single com- (1998-2013). The cessors of amphibians mon ancestor by transfor- authors (in the mode als. All of these lever designs were probably able to have remained unchanged—a fact mation and speciation.” of Dawkins) are so crawl from one pond or which does not support any evo- Complete buffoonery stated as fact. narrowly-focused lutionary theory. There’s a folk stream to another.” The textbook goes on to say that you can hear them saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t shouting, “Evolution The sentence is a double-fallacy: fix it.” And contrary to what the evolutionary biologists can’t even define the term “species.” In other a.) Assume that amphibians had less evolution community would have is a fact,” as they words, after 150 years they don’t espouse one fic- able predecessors, b.) State that naïve people believe, the actual the predecessors were “probably fossil record consists of nothing have a definition for the central tion after another. able to crawl.” The first half cre- but designs that “ain’t broke.” > Cont. on page 18

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Fictions taught as fact in college textbooks (cont.)

premise. Despite a glazed-over -Life: The Science of Biology, 6th Ed. ists misusing understatement were science community, Darwin did Vol. II: Evolution, Diversity, and tempered with basic engineering, not provide any evidence that all Ecology; Purves et al., 2001: 591. physics, or problem-solving, they “The simple species derive from a single com- would know not to think of profun- truth is that mon ancestor. The evidence Dar- 14.) “We know mammals dities as if they were trivialities. win did provide is far less profound evolved from mammal-like evolutionists than the differences in dog breeds reptiles called cynodonts Historical Geology, 7th Ed, Wi- cander et al., 2012: 374. arbitrarily which would never be called dif- during the Late Triassic.” ferent species. The simple truth is banter about that evolutionists arbitrarily banter We know? By now you should realize Conclusion the term about the term ‘species’ as that no such claims are facts. though it is a wild card. They It is a serious problem for ‘species’ as -Historical Geology, 5th Ed, Wi- freely change its meaning when- students’ education when text- though it is a cander et al., 2007: 381. ever they are in a bind or need a books purportedly teaching wild card. different definition. Does anyone 15.) “Insectivores have really believe that there are thou- science habitually use well- They freely sands of African cichlid species? probably not changed much known propaganda techniques. change its Does anyone really believe that since they appeared dur- Blatant spreading of propa- Darwin’s finches are different ing the Late Cretaceous.” meaning ganda is ubiquitous in textbooks species? One can easily fall prey to of the following fields: anthro- whenever these ideas until one realizes that Standard evolutionary doublespeak. “Probably” is a disingenu- pology, biology, paleontology. they are in a the “species” can interbreed. At this point, scientists quickly switch to a ous diversionary tactic used These fields are diminished as bind or need different definition of species, e.g., because pointing out directly that any creatures have “not sciences because students are a different groups of animals that can inter- being coerced into a belief breed but are isolated, occupy changed much” does not support definition.” different niches, or which have evolutionary theory. It’s like saying, system and blocked from facts different behavioral characteristics. “The horseshoe crab, coelacanth, conflicting with that system. The trick can get them out of any and platypus have ‘probably’ not As noted before, if an ideology changed much,” when we already corner they find themselves in. is debunked entire fields know that they are living fossils . have the potential of collaps- -Concepts of Genetics, 8th Ed, (Note: Confidently ignore current Klug, Cummings, and Spencer evolutionary tricks to again play with ing. Normal sciences do not 2006: 641 & 647 (Fig. 4). the concept of “species” in regards have this potential. Ideologi- to the coelacanth.) The sentence is cally -committed fields have 13.) “A dinosaur lineage followed by more trickery trying no choice but to produce gave rise to the birds. to make a fanciful story sound like corrupted textbooks while ...Existing data are insuffi- evidence-based science (#16): simultaneously blocking stu- cient to identify the ances- 16.) “In fact, an insec- dents from conflicting evi- tors of birds with certainty.” toviore-like creature very dence. In normal sciences Contradictions like this are standard likely lies at the base of readers would never tolerate Fig. 4. Concepts of to every evolutionary textbook. the great diversification textbook propaganda or the Genetics—packed Doublespeak is an easy-to-spot withholding of evidence. So, with the same of placental mammals.” evolutionist trick where they are evolutionary buf- the question has to be asked, either deliberately attempting to This is the standard play-it-safe trick foonery as in non- why are evolutionary fields weasel or are innocently getting of not offering a specific fossil as a getting away with it? When it genetic textbooks. all mixed up in their own rhetoric. transitional form but appealing to comes to something as impor- The trick is so common it can be some unknown common ancestor. generalized: It begins with a false tant as origins everyone has statement of fact and concludes -Historical Geology, 7th Ed, Wi- a right to hear the evidence Learning with an admission that there isn’t cander et al., 2012: 374. presented objectively. the skills of really any evidence. To show that 17.) “Apart from having evolution textbooks alone get To be continued… clear think- away with this, imagine a mathe- forelimbs modified into matics textbook that said, wings, bats differ little ing can help JOHN F ELIKS has specialized in the study “2+2=5. Well, we don’t really have from their immediate ances- of early human cognition for nearly everyone any proof that 2+2=5.” Or imag- tors among the insectivores. twenty years. His evidence falsify- recognize ine a chemistry textbook that said, Indeed, with the excep- ing the idea of cognitive evolution “One hydroxide ion (OH) plus an tion of wings they closely has been censored by the evolution propaganda community. Prior, Feliks’ focus was additional hydrogen atom (H) resemble living shrews.” and thus gives you a carbon atom (C). Well, on the invertebrate fossil record. He claims that purported transitional we haven’t really confirmed ex- Indeed, with the exception of wings not fall prey invertebrate fossils, as well as interpre- actly what constitutes carbon, but an airplane closely resembles an to it. many experts believe it involves tations of the genetics of “pre-human” automobile yet only those commit- hominids are equally easy to debunk the hydroxide ion.” As you can see, ted to evolutionism would try to because in a flawed paradigm every -D.F. Halpern no real sciences could ever get understate such a profound differ- part is questionable. Feliks encourages away with such things. So, how ence. “Immediate ancestors” is a students to stand up for critical is it that evolution textbooks are misnomer as there are no immedi- thinking in the science classroom. not held to any standard of rigor? ate ancestors of bats. If evolution-

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