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VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 MAY-JUNE 2014
Inside - Challenging the tenets of mainstream scientific a g e n d a s -
Early humans far more intelligent than what mainstream science • P A G E 2 has portrayed ever since Darwin Sapient culture (cont.) • Early humans in the Americas hundreds of thousands of years ago Trevor McNaughton • Blinkered and naïve interpretations of the fossil record about to be P A G E 4 nationally forced on American children as “fact” Member news and other information • Objective, ahead of their time, and now vindicated Virginia Steen-McIntyre, historical researchers who were ridiculed by their own Kevin Callaghan , day’s mainstream science machine Michael Winkler • Science classrooms in the U.S. and other countries on P A G E 6 the verge of control by monopolistic organizations Kudos on recent PCN These are a few of the subjects those in the Pleistocene Coalition are not afraid to take Our readers by the horns. More and more researchers are beginning to realize that something is amiss in the modern science community which can only be reformed from without. P A G E 7 James Reid-Moir, FRS, 1879–1944 A second look at early sapient culture Kevin Lynch and Richard Dullum By Trevor McNaughton P A G E 1 0 The Flagstaff Stone Contentions over biological evidence somehow prove that the various evolution aside, how is it that sapience must have come out early humans Jeffrey Goodman Africa became the only pos- of Africa? (‘Lithics’ refers to found outside P A G E 1 3 sible center for the birth and humanly-worked stone). I of Africa who growth of human culture? would like to suggest that it reached a Mainstream explain- does not prove this and that it mature cul- ing things away Whether it is as multiple exits is more a matter of our inter- ture cultural or the more romantic notion Jarrod Barker pretation of the evidence that level a differ- of a single exit, few leads to this popu- ent picture P A G E 1 4 mainstream re- lar conclusion. seems to fall searchers seem Debunking evolu- into place. tionary propaganda, able to consider any Secondly, could The 1.8 mil- Prt 7: Mollusca other possibility there be a bias in lion-year old than that humanity the interpretation site of Dman- John Feliks matured to what we that might be isi in Geor- call the “sapient” skewing the re- P A G E 1 7 gia, for in- level within Africa. sults? Again, I stance ( Figs. Brain matters, Prt 3: (Sapient: having or Fig. 1. A 1.8 million- would suggest that 1 & 2 ), con- Intelligence showing sound wis- year old skull from there is indeed a tains a skull Vesna Tenodi dom or judgment). Dmanisi in Georgia— bias, one caused by indicating that part of a set of skulls the fact that we— a toothless P A G E 1 9 The question is how calling into question modern Homo partially dis- is it that Africa be- the naming of species sapiens —appear to Brain matters, Prt 4: came the only op- in anthropology. abled mem- Open-mindedness be the only humans tion mainstream ber of the remaining on the local com- Vesna Tenodi anthropology is planet. This bias makes us tend willing to consider? Asking munity was P A G E 2 0 to look at lithic evidence in such cared for. this simple question points to a way as to claim the more ad- Tales of a Fossil other questions that might vanced work as our own when In both Europe and western Collector, Prt 6 help us gain a different per- this may not always be the case. Asia Neanderthal evidence spective on the problem. John Feliks When you settle down and > Cont. on page 2 First, does the available lithic actually start to investigate
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 2
A second look at early sapient culture (cont.)
suggesting a broader social of the nest of Africa actually ern Homo sapiens , etc., could and cultural interaction than depends so much on the Latin obviously produce viable traditionally taught is almost names they’ve been given or young from mixed matings— “In Europe daily reported. In Siberia rather on their degree of would be to regard the people and west- where Denisovans—an appar- maturity as a group. Also, present at these sites as races ent hybrid of Neanderthals along with survival ability are within a single species and ern Asia and modern Homo sapiens other less tangible factors not as separate species at all. Neander- (a.k.a. Homo sapiens sapiens ) that are seldom discussed These races would have been like chance and typical only of their day. environmental Sparks of genius would occur challenges . with or without hybridization. We also need to The typical Eurocentric rou- reassess artifacts tine is if advanced or altered we traditionally artifacts are found then a associate with site lacking human remains Homo sapiens is designated Homo sapiens . out of habit. Again, such artifacts may do To show that the no more than reflect the automatic assign- advances of the age and not ing of advanced the genetic makeup of their tools to Homo manufacturers. This sug- sapiens is habit gests the unsettling possibility one need only that there are actually “less” Fig. 2. The Paleolithic site of Dmanisi in the country of Georgia between Russia realize that this Homo sapiens sites than we in the north and Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan in the south. Here, the dis- has been done might like to imagine. I.e. we covery of a toothless and partially disabled individual suggests that 1,8 million even when no may have taken too many years ago communities well outside of Africa were caring for individuals with associated skele- liberties with the “history-is- special needs. Equally, the several different types and appearances of the skulls tal remains have written-by-the-victor” approach. from the site also suggest that all the different early human fossils previously called by different names were actually one species. Image: Public Domain. been found. So, there obviously At the other extreme, if more remains the pos- primitive lithic artifacts are thal evi- and a third as yet unidentified sibility that many of these found we typically conjecture dence sug- species—are also showing a advanced tools are not by habit that they must be- long to a less advanced spe- gesting a track where Neanderthal Homo sapiens artifacts. In blood reached modern Homo cies than Homo sapiens . broader places where there is only sapiens as it stands today. lithic material to identify a site social and Neither conjecture is auto- Yet, while it is commonly ac- we should not automatically matically true or untrue. What cultural cepted that the genus Homo jump to the conclusion that is true is that the lithic culture interaction left Africa in several forms— they are sapiens artifacts. found at any dig site is one [Ed. note: This is true also in re- divided into the likes of erectus , which was politically accepted than tradi- gards to painted cave sites where and contained and is perhaps tionally heidlebergensis, sapiens —there Homo sapiens is assumed even seems to be a wall built around though there is no physical evidence simply the technology that recognized the possibility that more than of the presence of Homo sapiens .] was feeding the population at is almost the last of those bloodlines could the time of its production. As daily re- survive, evolve further, and then The only scientific conclusion a modern analogy, the Ro- that can be asserted safely ported.“ prosper outside the cradle of mans used flint tools in Britain Africa. This is the “Bird’s nest in situations where arti- and Gaul but that obviously equation” that the nestling facts—but not human re- does not mean that the Ro- could not possibly survive mains—are found is that the mans were culturally inferior— having fallen out of the nest. artifacts were concurrent a conclusion one might incor- with the age in which they rectly reach if simply com- It seems a better approach were made. And the altera- paring their flints to those than simply accepting the tions and overlays were likely produced 40,000 years prior. Bird’s nest equation as a fact more political than sustaina- and then automatically assign- bly cultural. It cannot be As another modern-day ing all evidence of advanced assumed that they were analogy, leap forward a cou- tool-work to our own species limited by the Latinized spe- ple of thousand years from is for us to remain open to cies names we have arbitrar- the Romans in Gaul and con- examining all of the possibili- ily given to them—or indeed sider the first powered flight. ties. One of these possibilities even sub-species names. It didn’t happen only in one is whether the survival of the place or in places connected nestlings which have fallen out Perhaps even more correct— since Neanderthals and mod- > Cont. on page 3
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 3
A second look at early sapient culture (cont.)
by more than the desire to fly. who made them in anything and landscape challenges too At around the time the Wright more than known political bias. much of a single negative brothers took to the air, Pearce order. Once out of Africa the in New Zealand was in the air, The same holds true for every challenges were different, a man in Connecticut was in the artifact produced within a given multifaceted, and more in- air, and there were experiments area in prehistory. The balance clined to prompt development. in Germany and in England and is the same then and now. And in France and in other places. when trade becomes a factor, In traditional archaeology we “Perhaps The only connections between goods are made to suit the look back and try to make yes- even more all of these attempts was the client as well as the manufac- terday fit the today we know turer. Otherwise, there is no and accept. Instead, we should correct— calendar age and the motiva- tion and rush of blood to the sale or exchange. And sale and allow prehistory to stand since Ne- head built on the achievements exchange might well define the coldly and clinically on its own anderthals of previous ages alongside the parameters of the spread of merits. We need to forget the and mod- will to take the baton further. a perceived culture through a equation “ sapiens ,” or the idea larger area of what may actu- that sapiens is the only spe- ern Homo We, on the other hand, record ally be very unrelated people. cies to survive and accept that sapiens , only the one presumed to be the almost all the species back as winner based on a local bias and What is becoming slowly more far as Homo erectus were and etc., could evident is that we—who pre- obviously usually the efficiency of some- are really a part of the sapiens one else’s publicity machine. sume ourselves to be Homo dynasty and blood line. I be- produce sapiens sapiens—are, in real- lieve that our tentative steps viable In prehistory the parameters ity, a hybrid species and the into the world of genetics will are not so easily defined and hybridization has taken place in time reinforce this view. young the publicity machines were and altered the base stock from not available in a more hand- right throughout the globe, One more small conundrum: mixed to-mouth existence. However, only differing as a matter of It is generally accepted that matings— it is interesting that right greater or lesser degree. The we share 95% of our genes throughout Africa and then the further away from a point of with the chimpanzee. Yet the would be rest of the world, lithic ages contact and the greater the growing volume of genetic to regard began in relatively short peri- intermediate barriers the less advancement also suggests the people ods and ended usually in rela- change there is in the base that we share only a maxi- present at tively short periods at a time stock; and everything from mum of 4% of our genes with when communication and there is overlay followed by the Neanderthal? Is it really these sites teaching skills did not have overlay followed by overlay saying only 4% of our genes as races the required abilities to spread and a history of pause and are identifiably different within a technology in the time available. motivation based on the avail- enough to be Neanderthal and single spe- ability of food resources. But that most of the remainder we The cultures which impacted in the end, the base stock or share with them anyway? If cies and on specific areas and remained stocks are still at the core of so, the spectrum of difference not sepa- with the same areas for an given populations no matter is little more than a time rate spe- extended time were perhaps how well they are disguised. engendered one and we are more politically motivated as a cies at Neanderthal and erectus and point of difference and control Now, to return to Africa, there all of the variations in be- all.” of a small area or band, more is nothing within the bounds tween then and now; and than intellectual ability or ac- of prehistoric Africa which there was never more than an tual racial grouping. But by the ensured either survival or intertwined stock with regional same token they might also advancement of erectus, variations due to close breed- mean nothing more than a heidlebergensis , or sapiens ing. Perhaps this situation cultural and political bias for past a certain stage of devel- pulsed throughout all of time design not based on effi- opment and many things and Neanderthal and erectus ciency or cultural superiority which compared less favora- and company are no more or or simple isolation by being bly with areas outside of Af- less than our grandparents deserted within a larger less rica in the same time period. and great-grandparents and habitable area while the rest should be honored as such. of the world passed them by. Africa may have been the core for the early development of Trevor McNaughton is a retired Continuing with modern-day the species but once the spe- stud breeder from New Zealand. analogies, today, war-tanks cies was established Africa He has written three prior articles from one manufacturing coun- offered more impediments for PCN: “Basic polynomial genet- try are easily identifiable by than motivations for further ics applied to hybrid vigor ” ( PCN someone who studies them, development in the areas #20, November-December 2012), “In Defense of Neanderthals ” ( PCN but the tank designs do not where Homo had been estab- #25, September-October 2013), dictate the race involved or lished. The nest had become and Ice and air differentials ( PCN much else of the actual people too constricting and climate #28, March-April 2014).
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 4
Member news and other info
Calico News founding members, first the May 9 issue of Science , examined key Calico speci- by Ann Gibbons called, “New –Virginia Steen-McIntyre mens over 30 years ago sites bring the earliest In early April, the spring (1977). Recently he posted Americans out of the shad- issue of The Calico Core ar- online slide shows of a frac- ows.” What they mean by rived in my mail box. It’s the tion of the bonafide subsur- “earliest Americans” has to newsletter for the Friends of face finds be questioned. The sites of Hueyatlaco, Calico, Caltrans, Calico Early Man Site Inc., http://www.earthmeasure.com/ and Calico first- Big Crow, etc., are much Mountain american.html older—dated in the hundreds Archaeo- of thousands of years. Now Chris, a lithics logical Site, that the once taught-as-fact (worked “This in Yermo, Clovis-first theory has been stone) expert, California. disproved mainstream ar- keeping has offered to In it they chaeologists are rushing to with their share with us list the push their dates back while some of the new em- proposed still blocking the evidence of choice speci- phasis on bylaw earlier sites. The blocking of mens and tell changes to evidence misleads Ameri- near- us a bit about be voted cans making it appear as surface how they on by the though dates such as 15,000 were formed excava- member- years ago represent the in a series of tions only. ship in “earliest Americans,” as Gib- short pieces May. Of bons’ title promotes. It takes That’s like which will interest to a lot to break through mo- scratching appear in us is the nopolies on information future issues around in formal which is why the Pleistocene of this news- the frost- change of Coalition was formed. The letter. Look- the site story actually points directly ing of a ing forward name from toward the truly ancient cake while to it! “Calico dates Dr. Virginia Steen- McIntyre and the rest of the totally ig- Early Man noring the Site” to USGS team provided by sev- cake it- “Calico Older and eral techniques for human sites in Mexico, dating to c. self!” Mountains older peo- Archaeo- ples in the 250,000 years old. logical New World As a hint that mainstream Site.” This archaeology is on the verge After Tom in keeping of having a lot of explaining Baldwin’s with their to do, the conclusion of Gib- recent over- new em- bons’ piece is not at all what views con- phasis on Fig. 1. Top: Beaked graver from one would expect as a main- cerning the near- Calico Master Pit 1 . Photo: D. Griffin, stream comment on the rapidly surface calicodig.org. Bottom: Inside Calico occupation of the New changing excava- Master Pit 1 started by Dr. Louis World. She quotes Dr. Rade- views about tions only. Leakey in 1963. Photo: T. Oberlander. maker as saying: That’s like people in the scratching around in the Americas ( Observations on “What we have is these an- frosting of a cake while to- the Paleoamerican Odyssey cient people emerging eve- tally ignoring the cake itself! Conference, Santa Fe, 2013 ; rywhere.” PCN #26, Nov-Dec 2013; Nothing much we can do and, A Celebratory Dance ; about their new emphasis, PCN #27, Jan-Feb 2014) our Mitochondrial DNA re- but we needn't remain silent readers have been on the veals surprises about the (much) older arti- lookout for relevant news on facts collected earlier from the topic. –Virginia Steen-McIntyre sediments located deep within the fan complex. One item recently sent by From American Scientist Chris Hardaker, one of the Kevin Callaghan is very tell- ing. It is a brief write-up in Pleistocene Coalition’s > Cont. on page 5
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 5
Member news and other info (cont.)
March-April 2014 p. 10 Artist member, Mi- You don't need to be on Face- chael Winkler , author of book to access the photos and It wasn't supposed to be information. The installation is that way. A 130k-year-old Ancient art and modern lan- guage , PCN #5, May-June presented by Tipi Project (a toe bone from Denisova not-for-profit organization Cave (Siberia, Russia) was 2010, has sent an update on one of his current installa- which creates temporary that of a Neanderthal, not a parks).” Denisovan, as revealed by tions . mitochondrial DNA analysis. Winkler, who creates original From the PC homepage: Comparing the new Nean- installations around the MICHAEL W INKLER is a palaeolithic derthal genome to those of world created this recent theorist and conceptual installa- Denisovan and tion artist. In addition modern humans, to being featured in art “The in- researches sub- journals such as Ram- stallation, stantiated that pike Magazine and in Denisovans and books such as Imagin- SUBTEXT ing Language (Rasula & Neanderthals di- explores McCaffery, MIT Press, verged from one connec- 1998), Winkler's work another after their is also part of the per- tions be- common ancestor manent collections in tween diverged from various art and literary modern modern humans. institutions in the U.S. The three human and abroad such as the Museum of Contempo- language lineages interbred and early rary Art, Chicago; the multiple times after Library of The Museum artifacts they diverged, al- of Modern Art, New of the though it wasn't a York; the Hans Sohm common occur- Archive at the Staats- symbolic rence. galerie, Stuttgart, Ger- mind. ” many; the King Stephen Denisovan-like DNA Museum, Hungary; and meanwhile was the National Institute of collected from a Design, in India.
400k-year-old Recent exhibitions in- Spanish femur clude: Alignments , an thought to belong Fig. 1. Brand new work by member and international installation at Galeria to a Neanderthal. installation artist Michael Winkler. It is called, SUB- AT, Academy of Fine The fossil could (1) TEXT . and is meant to explore connections between Art, Poznan, Poland; a represent a com- modern language and early artifacts. Havemeyer Park, large-scale wall instal- mon ancestor of Brooklyn, N.Y. lation in Poetic Posi- tions at the Kassel Art Neanderthals and Museum in Germany; one ( Fig. 1 ) in Brooklyn, Denisovans; (2) be from a and a 20-year survey at the different hominid lineage; or New York. Of the installation Rosenwald Gallery, Van Pelt- (3) cause anthropologists to he writes: Dietrich Center, University of rethink their views on Pennsylvania. “I've created a new installation Denisovan origins. They in Havemeyer Park, Brooklyn. were previously thought to On Imagining Language : "What The installation, SUBTEXT Rasula and McCaffery have ac- have inhabited Asia, not explores connections between complished is to put together an Europe. modern language and early astonishing and unprecedented assemblage of the multiple ways Prüfer, K. et al . 2013. The com- artifacts of the symbolic mind. in which language has been used plete genome sequence of a The work is comprised of en- Neanderthal from the Altai or been conceptualized in rela- graved stones, shell-beads, tion to reality. Imagining Lan- Mountains. Nature doi: 10.1038/ earth pigments, and spelled- nature12886 (Published online guage is a continuous revela- forms taken from my most December 18). tion." recent artist's book, The Book -Jerome Rothenberg, Professor of Meyer, M. et al . 2014. A mito- of Spells . For more information Visual Arts and Literature, University chondrial genome sequence of a or to see photographic docu- of California, San Diego hominin from Sima de los mentation of the project,visit: Hueso. Nature doi:10:1038/ Website: winklerwordart.com Facebook.com/MichaelWinklerArt nature 12788 (Published online
December 4).
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 6
Regarding the recent issues of Pleistocene Coalition News
“Congratulations for the last little to be enthused about if across the world.” PC issue! Very good indeed!” we are only subject to the mainstream dogma so very “Thank you for the PCN last “Probably the best journal prevalent in science today.” issue and congratulations for out there for cutting edge the new remarkable contri- research.” “I admire very much your bution to prehistory.” work and courage … PC is a “Thank you for tremendous very important contribution “Many thanks for… PCN ; also effort of scientific journal to contemporary thanks to the contributors publication.” knowledge.” for very interesting and valu- able articles.” “Thank “You have developed “Very well done— a more than first “A pleasure to read all the you for many thanks and class publication and admiration for you well edited and vividly illus- the PCN resource.” and your co- trated papers!” last is- “What a fantastic editors.” “I am looking with great sue and issue! Congratula- “You are doing a interest on your PC-News! ” con- tions to all.” heroic job. … I have “The last PCN issue arrived gratulati “Pleistocene Coali- saved every copy.” well, thank you very much! ons for tion News . I can “Even some people We again understand what it the new understand what a huge from Australia’s main- means to get all the information remark- commitment this is.” stream ... ‘behind the together und put it into such an interesting publication.” able con- “What [an] incredi- scenes’... have of- ten expressed ad- tribution ble job you and the “Keep up your always very others are doing. ... miration for the good work.” to pre- PCN is leaving be- PCN profile, for history.” hind a legacy that your courage, te- “You guys are my heroes!” nacity and willing- will probably shape “Congratulations of your ness to tackle sen- what comes along in being able to continue to sitive and contro- this century. Great your most valuable publica- versial topics, ex- stuff. And thanks so tion, the Pleistocene News . posing dishonesty much for all you The Pleistocene News serves in mainstream sci- have done and are the purpose of countering ence.” doing, and this goes the huge amount of dogma for everyone involved. ... “I am thankful for your con- and rhetoric that surround awesome.” certed effort in providing so many scientific subject “The entire issue is update and impor- areas.” tant information on fascinating. … Look- “You are living history—keep Pleistocene prehis- ing forward to more it going.” issues of PCN ham- tory.” “Thank you for another great mering away at ig- “I enjoyed all the issue. I enjoyed it enor- norance!!” articles for their mously and am happy to see actuality and crea- “I am in full agree- that authors are choosing tivity.” ment with you on such relevant and current our (Canada too) “Wonderfully done, topics, which all come to- extremely narrow as have been the gether to form a harmonious education system. … earlier Issues.” whole. The PCN editors for- This seems to even extend mulated an unparalleled into the universities, so even “Keep up the good fight, webzine-profile, the impor- at this age our young people victory is on the horizon!” tance of which will only be are not able to at least hear fully appreciated by future the various views that ex- “The last issue of PCN is again a masterpiece in lay- generations—with the bene- tend to so many areas of fit of hindsight.” science. This includes the out and content—
subject area as covered congratulations for you and by your very fine publication. your coworkers!” The editors of PCN are all volun- teers. We thank our readers very ... extremely valuable contri- “This was a great year for much for these comments. bution... We have so very the PCN , sending ripples
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 7
Forgotten heroes of archaeology
James Reid-Moir, FRS, 1879–1944
By Kevin Lynch and Richard Dullum
James Reid-Moir (Fig. 1), took him into the business. In It was also at this time that the British researcher who in later years, James Reid-Moir Moir attracted the interest of 1923 challenged and stated, “I never took to busi- several noted prehistorians. convinced a commis- ness. In my spare time I These included Sir Alan sion of scientists of played golf and read books on Sturge; Lewis Abbott; Lt. very early man in Brit- travel. I became obsessed Col. Underwood (who had ain (Ancient tools of the with reading all I could about moved to Ipswich); and Sir Crag , PCN #12, July-August Tibet for example.” Arthur Keith, the Scottish 2011; Ancient tools of the anatomist and anthropologist Crag, Part 2 , PCN #14, At age 24 an incident took (Fig. 3 , following page). November-December 2011; place which would change Who was Red Crag Man? , PCN #16, March-April 2012; Moir’s life for ever. Whilst Regarding Moir’s discoveries, James Reid Moir’s Darmsden playing golf with a friend, Keith wrote: legacy , PCN #18, July- the friend picked up August 2012, and James a barbed and “About the time the Reid-Moir was right on track Prehistoric Society 100 years ago , PCN #28, tanged arrowhead. They discussed the was founded, I be- March-April 2014) came to came interested in the town of Ipswich find and Moir real- ized that he must the study of ancient (Suffolk, England) in the man and made the year 1881 aged two, learn more of these fascinating objects acquaintance of field from Hitchin in Hertford- geologists, among shire, when his father, and purchased a copy of Sir John them that of Reid- “Moir had Lewis Moir, bought the tai- Moir. Towards the lor’s shop in the Thorough- Evans 1872 book, previously The Ancient Stone end of 1911, I re- fare. Lewis installed his family ceived a letter from been told in accommodation above the Implements: Weap- ons, and Orna- Fig. 1. An early him informing me that Man had business premises ( Fig. 2 ). picture of James that he had dis- ments of Great Reid-Moir who not existed As the business grew and Britain . His search- patched to the Royal later received a College of Surgeons until after prospered they were able to ing for, and general Fellowship of the move several times into interest in, the sub- Royal Society. a solid block of sand the glacial and clay, in which deposits had more and more comfortable ject became an accommodation in the town. obsession and he neglected the friable remains been laid his duties at the tailoring of a human skeleton were At school age James was sent down.” business. embedded. The block was to a Dames School in Ipswich. dug from under the glacial Although a happy and In 1910, after spending sev- boulder clay which is friendly child, he enjoyed eral years searching the brick spread over the Ipswich his own company, prefer- pits and archeological sites plateau, but at the point ring to read books than in the Ipswich area, he wrote where the skeleton lay play the usual games of his now famous letter to The was only a little over 4 his contemporaries. Times (a.k.a. The London feet in thickness. Times ) detailing his finds of Moir was then sent to the humanly-worked flints in the He called in expert geologi- school of Mr. J.E. glacial deposits of Suffolk. cal witnesses who agreed Champness, a school with him that the skeleton represented by the sons Moir had previously been lay under an unbroken ex- of young gentlemen and told that Man had not ex- tension of the Chalky Boul- designed to fit the pupils isted until after the glacial der Clay and therefore rep- for a commercial career. deposits had been laid down. resented pre-glacial man. At this time he was a This did not deter Moir and stout thickset young he attracted the attention of From the block there Fig. 2. Moir’s father, Lewis Moir, man, earning the nick- Benjamin Harrison, the gro- emerged, by skilful quar- bought tailor shop on the Thor- name, “Tubby.” cer from Igtham in Kent, rying, the skeleton of a tall oughfare in Ipswich, and moved who had found similar arti- man, in a crouched pos- his family into the upper flat. At Christmas 1894, in his facts in the Kent area. sixteenth year, his father > Cont. on page 8
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VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 8
James Reid Moir biography (cont.)
ture and marked, save in a suits, it was in decline, so current number of L'Anthro- few details, with the char- much so that in 1912, fol- pologie contains a paper by acters of modern man. lowing a short illness, Lewis M. Boule entitled La Paelon- gave James notice to quit. tologie Humaine En An- That so ancient a man gleterre which is the most “He called should be so modern in James was distraught. How extraordinarily biased state- in expert type did not surprise ei- would his family survive ment it has ever been my ill ther Moir or without an income? It was fortune to read.” geo- myself. here that his good friend Ray logical Lankester came to his assis- It came to Moir’s attention wit- Our belief in tance. Lankester ( Fig. 4 ) that weeks before their visit the antiquity nesses was, at this time, president they had expressed disbelief of modern of the Ipswich Museum and in the value of any of his who man was offered Moir work there. discoveries. agreed founded on with a discovery However, fate intervened Miles Burkitt came to Moir’s made at and the old man died leaving rescue. He had been a pupil of him Galley Hill in the business the renowned that 1888. There, to James. prehistorian, in the 100- French Catho- the In order to skele- foot terrace lic priest, of the spend time archaeolo- ton lay Thames Val- away from gist, anthro- tailoring, under Fig. 3. Anatomist and an- ley, under 8 pologist, eth- feet of ap- James took nologist and an un- thropologist, Sir Arthur Keith. on a partner broken parently geologist ,the unbroken to look after Abbe Brueil, extension of strata, a human skeleton the business, and invited the Chalky was laid bare. It lay under named Fran- him to view a stratum cis Hugh In- some of Boulder gamells. Clay containing Moir’s speci- paleoliths of mens in the and Moir now the ancient threw himself Sedgwick there- Chellian type into his cho- Museum. fore and was sen occupa- accepted as The Abbe repre- tion, writing Fig. 5. The Thoroughfare in Ips- came, and a represen- several books wich, England. sented tative of the was con- and papers vinced of the pre- makers of totaling some two hundred these imple- evidence laid before him, glacial and fifty works. and announced his change of man.” ments. The discovery of However the business con- opinion at a meeting held in Liege the following year. From -Sir Arthur the modern tinued in decline and the this point after, whenever Keith re- type of man Moirs were forced to even referring to Moir, the Abbe garding under the smaller premises at One- Brueil spoke of him as “my archaeo- Chalky Boul- house Lane in Ipswich. This good friend James Reid-Moir.” logical der Clay was only a short distance discover- seemed to from the brick pits of Messrs. In the interim Moir had sought ies by Fig. 4. Reid-Moir’s good us to be in Bolton and Laughlin in Dales to protect his business by James friend, E.R. (Ray) Lankester. harmony Road where Moir had found forming a limited company and Reid-Moir with the some of his most remarkable to that end Alston and Moir Ltd accepted order of things.” specimens. was born with outlets at #9 It was also around this time It was at this time that his Buttermarket ( Fig. 6 , following that Moir had married Mary finds had come to the atten- page) and 11 The Thoroughfare Frances Moberley and they tion of the Abbe Brueil and (Fig. 5 ). They ceased trading had set up home at 12 St. Marcellin Boule, the French on 1st November 1931. It was Edmunds Road in Ipswich. prehistorians. Their rejection a very difficult time for him. He of his implements led Moir to wrote “This beastly question of In his fathers time the busi- address a letter to the Geo- L.S.D. (pounds, shillings and ness had prospered but now logical Museum Magazine, pence) would keep cropping up.” with James neglecting it in October 1915. He wrote “The favor of his prehistoric pur- > Cont. on page 9
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 9
James Reid Moir biography (cont.)
However, some financial aid intention of renovating it, same site go quite a way to began to come from various but allowed Moir to stay at vindicating Moir’s memory sources, The Percy Sladen the Millhouse for as long as (See Reid-Moir was right on Fund, grants from the Royal he wished. track 100 years ago , by Richard Dullum and Kevin It was here, in the Lynch, PCN #28, Jan-Feb quiet of the English 2014). countryside, that Moir continued his writing. James Reid-Moir is yet to receive from modern prehis- He wrote, “I am as torians the proper recogni- poor as a church tion he deserves. After all, mouse but have he was right! “The cur- never been happier.” rent num- ber of L'An- Moir died on 24th February 1944 from thropologie coronary thrombosis. KEVIN L YNCH is a retired British businessman, an amateur ar- He was in his sixty- contains a chaeologist, archivist and mem- fifth year. ber of the paper by M. Fig. 6. Buttermarket in Ipswich, England, During his Prehistoric Boule enti- where Moir had his second tailors shop at #9. life he had Society of tled ‘La Pa- written Britain. An elontologie Society and from wealthier some 250 papers, avid collec- tor of flints museums The Wellcome and letters, books etc. Humaine from his He had also be- En An- The Field. He made more local coun- from broadcasting and a come a Fellow of tryside and gleterre’ little by pen. A civil list pen- the Royal Society beaches, which is sion was granted to him of (FRS), President of he and his the most £100 per annum. Ipswich Museum, wife live in and President and Hadleigh, extraordi- In 1940 at the beginning of Suffolk, co-founder of the Fig. 8. The oak tree that Moir the Second World War, a UK. Lynch’s narily bi- Prehistoric Society saved from destruction through stray bomb demolished his specialty is ased state- of Great Britain. local community action. British home. He was destitute. A archae- ment it has After his ology of the late 19th and early ever been death his old friend 20th centuries concentrating on my ill for- Parkington presented the life and works of J. Reid-Moir. tune to to Ipswich Town He and Richard Dullum have Council an inscribed lately blended their interests in read.” plaque to Reid-Moir prehistory to write a series of on a bench to be articles dealing with the hey-day -James Reid- of British archaeology at the turn placed beneath an Moir writing to of the 20th Century. the magazine of ancient oak tree on the Geological Valley Road hill. Moir RICHARD D ULLUM is a surgical R.N. working in a large O.R. for the Museum re- had campaigned for its preservation when past 30 years as well as a re- garding the searcher in early human culture. a proposed housing narrow views He is also a Vietnam vet with a published development pro- degree in biology. In addition to grammed its destruc- his work with Lynch, he has writ- therein. Fig. 7. The Mill House, in Flatford, where— tion ( Fig. 8 ). ten five prior articles for PCN . during his destitute years—Reid-Moir was in- vited to stay by its owner, Reid-Moir’s long Regrettably Moir is time friend Tommy Parkington. Parkington let remembered for Reid-Moir know that he could stay here for as long as he wished. some conclusions that All of Lynch and Dullum’s articles he did not get right. about Classic British Archaeology However, recent finds at in Pleistocene Coalition News can good friend afterward allowed Happisburgh on the Norfolk be found at the following link: Moir and his wife to stay at coast, of artifacts dating to the Mill House in the hamlet http://pleistocenecoalition.com/ almost 1 million years old, of Flatford ( Fig. 7 ). index.htm#Dullum_and_Lynch and the more recently dis- Tommy Parkington had pur- covered footprints of pre- chased Flatford Mill with the glacial man found at the
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 1 0
Resolving the mystery of the Flagstaff Stone: a call for help
By Jeffrey Goodman PhD, anthropology, geological engineer
The Flagstaff Stone (Fig. 1) is an archaeo- logical object discovered 23 feet below the ground at my excavation just north of Flagstaff, Ari- zona, 1979. The stone is a small flat “The rock measuring about 2 by Flagstaff 3 inches. It has a number Stone of- of straight lines engraved fers pro- across both sides. Beyond the petrographic studies found in- already done, a thin section formation cutting across several of the Fig. 1. The late Dr. Alan Bryan, Professor of Archaeology, University inscribed lines on the stone on how of Alberta, directed the excavation at Flagstaff in 1979. The stone far back is desperately needed. was found in sediments from a depth of 23 feet believed to be a compound soil informally called by geologists in the area “the 100k Photographic (SEM) docu- in time year old soil.” Photo by the late Alexandar Marshack. early man mentation and spectral analysis of the stone and its goes in inscribed lines would give a vided a full report (Steen- stone in 1980 by Dr. Arend the more complete picture. McIntyre 1982), the engrav- Meijer, Professor of Geol- ings are at least 70,000 ogy, University of Arizona, Americas The Flagstaff Stone offers years old and possibly as who specialized in the study and what profound information on much as 250,000 years old. of volcanic rocks; and Dr. how far back in time early he knew.” Based on petrographic stud- John Ferry, Professor of man goes in the Americas ies of the Flagstaff area, I Geology, Arizona State Uni- and what he knew. This is believe the stone itself to be versity, concluded that the why authenticating the from the eruption that pro- stone was very old, and stone and its age must be duced the Sugarloaf Ash, because the lines on the convincingly established and which has been dated by the stone had a consistent width documented. John Feliks, potassium-argon method to and depth, they both agreed the editor of this publica- approximately 280,000 that the lines were made by tion, who has been through years. man. Dr. Ferry was able to many scientific wars with show that the lines did not the academic establishment, The late Dr. Alan Bryan, cut down at the edges of the has made this most impor- Professor of Archaeology, stone and were once part of tant step clear to me. I seek University of Alberta, di- longer lines. In other words, help in establishing and rected the excavation at the stone was originally part documenting the engraved Flagstaff in 1979. The stone of a larger piece. stone’s authenticity, age, was found 23 feet down in and provenance. sediments believed to be a Both petrographers were compound soil informally able to distinguish between Popularly referred to as the called by geologists in the the clay matrix, which “Flagstaff Stone,” according area the “100,000-year old coated the stone, and the to estimation by volcanic soil”—a Sangamonian or last clay, which resulted from ash specialist Dr. Virginia interglacial soil. the in situ weathering Steen-McIntyre, who ana- lyzed the object and pro- Petrographic studies of the > Cont. on page 11
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 1 1
The Flagstaff Stone (cont.)
(weathering in place) of the coated the weathering greater than 24,000 original rock. Dr. Ferry ob- rind in places. The ma- years.”* served that the undisturbed trix itself was weath- *A soil at 15 feet at the clay on the bottom part of ered and had clay-rich site, 8 feet above the soil the stone (the result of the feldspar fragments that contained the stone, in situ weathering) had a coated with dusty tan was radiocarbon dated to characteristic flakey struc- clay. ture to it (a sort of crater approx. 25,000 B.P. Flakes of the waxy clay pattern) and noted that the In 1981, my plans for fur- weathering rind were still clay in most of the grooves ther work at the site and occasionally preserved in also had this distinct pat- study of the stone came to a “The the scribed grooves, demon- tern. To Ferry, this meant sudden halt. The US Forest stone re- strating that the grooves that all the grooves with Service denied a permit for themselves were made be- sided in clay in them were old. further excavation by Dr. fore the piece was buried the stor- Bryan and me, and de- A third petrographic study and had begun the in situ manded the return of the age facili- of the Flagstaff stone was weathering process. ties of the made in October 1982. Dr. Flagstaff Stone and related In effect, the engraved lines stone tools. (Antiquity law Coconino Virginia Steen-McIntyre, a tephrochronologist (a petro- were encased in a time cap- designates that the Forest Branch of grapher who specializes in sule, and weathering rinds Service needs to consult the U.S. the study and dating of of this type usually take a with the head archeologist Forest ejected volcanic materials), long time to form. at the Smithsonian on such matters. At that time, it was service then an adjunct professor in Dr. Steen-McIntyre wrote in the anthropology depart- Dr. Dennis Stanford.) The for 30 her report (Steen-McIntyre, study of the stone in Flag- ment at Colorado State Uni- 1982): years versity, conducted a more staff at the Forest Service’s (from detailed study of the piece “The petrographic charac- offices by Dr. Steen- 1 McIntyre in 1982 required 1981 un- (Steen-McIntyre, 1982). ter of the volcanic rock itself, the waxy clay coat, special permission from the til 2011) In addition to a petrographic and sandy matrix material Forest Service. until the study, Steen-McIntyre took [as seen through the mi- specific samples of all the The stone resided in the Forest croscope] suggest consid- storage facilities of the Co- weathering products coating erable age. The only sam- Service the stone and chemically conino Branch of the U.S. ples I have examined that Forest service for 30 years honored analyzed them in a field show a comparable de- laboratory. Her more defini- (from 1981 until 2011) until my re- gree of weathering were the Forest Service honored quest for tive chemical tests were samples dated 250,000– able to distinguish: my request for the return of the return 300,000 years from the the Flagstaff Stone. Valsequillo region, central of the 1) the “fresh” or unweath- ered parent rock Mexico. In this region When I received the pack- Flagstaff (“tuff”), occur several dated layers age, it was promptly for- Stone.” of dacitic [volcanic] ash. warded on to Dr. Thomas 2) the weathered volcanic Of these layers, those Sharp, a professor of miner- glass and mineral frag- younger than approxi- alogy at Arizona State Uni- ments immediately be- mately 20,000 years con- versity’s School of Earth and low the waxy clay, tain fresh pyroxene crys- Space Exploration. Dr. tals and clear [volcanic] Sharp had reviewed the 3) a reddish stain on the glass shards. It is only at history of analysis of this surface of the tuff, approximately 22,000– specimen, and graciously 4) the waxy clay rind that 24,000 years that or- agreed to study it. Ironi- still partially covered thopyroxene crystals be- cally, Dr. Sharp was a stu- the rock and the gin to show signs of etch- dent of Dr. John Ferry of grooves, the result of ing and the glass begins Arizona State, the second weathering in situ, and, to cloud. ...The samples petrographer who examined from specimen #378 the stone. Dr. Sharp has 5) a sample of the adher- (Flagstaff stone) are all particular expertise in the ing sandy matrix in highly weathered by com- mineralogy of weathering which the fragment had parison. This suggests an and alteration of rocks on been buried and which age for them considerably > Cont. on page 12
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 1 2
The Flagstaff Stone (cont.)
both Earth and Mars. (He is However, no actual lab References cited the associate chair of the work was ever done on the 1Steen-McIntyre, V. 1982. Re- Department of Geological stone. For whatever reason port on numbered specimen 378, Sciences at Arizona State the stone sat in Dr. Sharp’s a platy fragment of indurated and is a reviewer for a num- lab for three years with no tuff with groove-like markings on ber of scientific journals work being done. I sadly two sides , pp. 1-8. Unpublished, including Nature and Sci- asked Dr. Sharp to return produced for Archaeological ence , and a reviewer for the stone to me in April of Research Associates, Inc. NSF grant proposals.) 2 “The fact this year. Purdy, BA, et al . 2011. Earliest Dr. Sharp intended to take a After 30 years, I once again art in the Americas: Incised image that it of a proboscidean on a mineralized cross-section after examin- was able to see and touch [the Flag- extinct animal bone from Vero ing the stone with Raman the once mud-encased en- staff Beach, Florida. Journal of Archaeo- Spectroscopy, thermal emis- graved stone I logged into logical Science , 2 June 2011. Stone] sion spectroscopy, and x- the field book for the dig, chal- ray diffraction. A well-placed while I sat on a mountain lenges cross-section would clearly slope above the very deep show the relationship of the excavation shaft that pro- most gen- lines to the weathering duced it. I had to laugh be- erally ac- products and the burial soil. cause the graduate students JEFFREY G OODMAN , PhD, is an cepted We also believed that a who saved the stone for me archaeologist and geologist. He ideas scanning electron micro- to examine when I visited has a professional degree in scope could help reveal the the dig were about to dis- Geological Engineering from about our tools used and re-used to card the stone until one of Colorado School of Mines, an M.A. in anthropology from the early hu- inscribe each line, as well as my amateur helpers said it University of Arizona, an M.B.A man an- the order in which the lines looked like Atlanteans were from Columbia University cestors were made. In addition, we playing tic tack toe on it. So Graduate School of Business, talked about tomography, here I am again with the and a PhD. in anthropology from and their and about getting profiles of stone that still needs to be California Coast University. For suppos- the features of the lines recognized for what it is. I nearly 10 years, Goodman was using a “profilometer” (an need help in demonstrating accredited by the former Society edly of Professional Archaeologists instrument used to measure that the artifact is genuine ‘primitive’ (SOPA) from 1978 to 1987. Two a surface’s profile in order and the lines are as old as of his four books, American minds ... to quantify its roughness). many believe they are. Genesis and The Genesis Mys- is a co- tery , included accounts of his Relevant to the work on nundrum When the study is concluded discovery of an early man site in hand was a study of an en- we should be able to say the mountains outside of Flag- that fu- graved Pleistocene mam- that the wisdom and scien- staff, Arizona. For more infor- ture text- moth bone from Vero Beach, tific intelligence of the cul- mation see The Flagstaff Stone: books Florida. It was reported in ture that produced the Flag- A Paleo-Indian engraved stone June of 2010 in the Journal staff Stone—no matter how from Flagstaff, Arizona , PCN and theo- #11, May-June 2011. of Archaeological Science by long ago they lived—is rists will University of Florida arche- clearly and unequivocally have to ologists. 2 Scanning electron demonstrated. The fact that E-mail: confront.” microscopy was used to it challenges most generally study color, texture and accepted ideas about our Jeffrey Goodman wear changes of the en- early human ancestors and
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 1 3
One man’s experience with the Establishment’s penchant for explaining things away
By Jarrod Barker Magazine producer, Avocational archaeologist
In my personal archaeo- logical research I’ve been focused on the shores of Lake Erie (and a few inland sites) beach and general shoreline lithic retrievals— on the Canadian side of the lake—for many years. “Along The surf and weather are odd bedfellows, on one hand with his revealing and on the other graduate destroying, so it seemed students, obvious to me that I should Dr. Walker keep eyes to the ground, sand, and wave line and to identified pick up what seemed to me Fig. 1. The extinct North Americn horse, Equus scotti, second from the teeth to be artifactual. right. Image from The Wonderful Paleo Art of Heinrich Harder— as those Prehistoric animal Illustrations used in the 1914 book Tierwanderun- Occasionally friable materials gen in der Urwelt. Left to right are: Mesohippus, Neohipparion, of Equus turn up such as large, disar- Eohippus, Equus scotti and Hypohippus. Image, public domain. scotti— ticulated bones. Even such Pleisto- obviously modern items as a Laboratory. I emailed to him deposited on the Lake Erie cene basket made from reeds photos and descriptions of shoreline after being brought turned up. the teeth. He kindly offered aboard lake freighters from horse.” to study several of the teeth. Europe; i.e. that they may And then there’s the teeth— (Dr. Walker is a co-author of have filled their ballast with found in several varied loca- the research paper, Unravel- gravels which could have tions and in indirect association ing the sequence and struc- included the teeth. with what look to me like arti- ture of the protein osteocal- facts and pierced pebbles. I’ve cin from a 42 ka fossil horse, Putting aside the ridiculous yet, however, to find any of this Geochimica et Cosmochimica probability and odds of this material in situ, i.e. still bur- Acta 2006;70(8):2034-44.) being possible, as well as the ied in its confining sediments. fact that Equus scotti is a Along with his graduate stu- North American horse, they Some of the teeth seem to dents, Dr. Walker identified failed to address the fact have been ‘broken’ perpen- the teeth as those of Equus that some teeth were discov- dicular to the long axes, some scotti—Pleistocene horse. ered inland—many miles seem to have been burned away from Lake Erie. and some show calcified de- Now the story begins to re- posits of calculus in the inter- semble somewhat the X-files. JARROD BARKER is an online maga- proximal grooves (I worked The established archaeologi- zine publisher, artist/musician, and in dentistry for several years cal community here in On- avocational archaeologist from Port Dover, Ontario. He is founder so have a basic understand- tario and the Royal Ontario and producer of the news maga- ing of tooth morphology and Museum (I made all aware of zine, The Silo, with a focus on deposit identification etc). the teeth, the lithics and the culture and science. Barker stud- identification offered by Dr. ied Humanities and Comparative Some teeth were found Walker) disputed the finds, Literature at McMaster University inland quite a few miles the identification and the in Ontario and has earned schol- away from Lake Erie. lithics. The Royal Ontario arships to study new media and interactive art at Toronto’s Cana- Museum also told me that if I I later contacted Dr. Danny dian Film Centre (CFC). Barker has Walker, RPA, Wyoming Assis- had the teeth dated and they also worked in cancer drug therapy tant State Archaeologist at showed as pre-contact, then research for MBVax Bioscience. the Comparative Osteology they would offer this expla- Website: http://www.thesilo.ca/ Museum and Zooarchaeology nation—that the teeth were
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 1 4
Debunking evolutionary propaganda, Part 7 The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Mollusca
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
Current Fossils recovered in By John Feliks Genus, etc. Range living fossils situ by the author “Like brachiopods, Helcionelloida Unchanged molluscs … provide Eogastropoda 542 million years for an excellent, un- Worldwide 1 3/16" (3 cm) Orthogastropoda Cambrian–Recent; Platystoma; in situ author broken fossil record (snail taxa; See Fig. 5) 543.7 MYA–Present Silurian; Waldron, Indiana from the Cambrian to Unchanged the present. Most of Protobranchia subclass 520 million years the classes of mol- Worldwide 3/4" long (2 cm) Fig. 1. Geometric Nuculoidea-type clam; Pennsyl- luscs living today… (nut clams, etc.) Cambrian–Recent; study by the author 520 MYA–Present vanian (slab w/Mesolobus brach) of a 250,000-year were already present Unchanged old handaxe featur- in the Cambrian.” Parallelodontidae family 479 million years ing a “living fossil” Worldwide -Animals Without Back- 1 1/2" (3.9 cm) Spondylus shell (clam; actual arago- Ordovician–Recent; Parallelodon; in situ Pennsylva- (Triassic–Recent, bones, Buchsbaum et al nitic shell preserved) 478.6–Present nian; Kittanning, Pennsylvania i.e. unchanged for 1987, Third Ed., p. 520 Pectinida Unchanged 235 million years) “If my theory be order 439 million years carefully-framed Worldwide true, numberless 15/16" wide (2.4 cm) by ancient man in (scallops; See de- Silurian–Recent; Aviculopecten; Mississippian; what is now West intermediate varie- tails in Fig. 7) 439 MYA–Present rec. by author; Jackson, MI Tofts, Norfolk, U.K. ties … must assur- Unchanged The figure is Fig. 2 edly have existed; … from The impact of Nautilus 339 million years evidence … could be Worldwide 1/2" w (1.3cm) fossils on the devel- (coiled cephalopod) Mississippian–Recent; found only amongst ammonite substituting; see opment of visual 339.4 MYA–Present Fig. 4, Ontario, Canada representation, fossil remains.” Unchanged Rock Art Research, -Charles Darwin, The Ori- November, 1998. Ostrea 272 million years gin of Species, 1859, p.179 Worldwide The paper proposed 3 3/8" w (8.5 cm) (oysters) Permian–Recent; Ostrea; rec. in situ by author; that early humans In this series I offer an 272.5 MYA–Present Pleistocene; south Florida were able to associ- expanded definition of Unchanged ate fossils with their the term living fossil to Venus 140 million years living counterparts. reflect the true facts of (clam; compare age Worldwide 5 3/16" w (13.1 cm) Venus; rec. in situ by author; Since this did not range with Anadara) Cretaceous–Recent; support the idea of the fossil record and to 140.2 MYA–Present Pleistocene; south Florida cognitive evolution include organisms with Unchanged mainstream anthro- remarkably long histories Anadara 140 million years pology blocked the though they eventually 3" wide (7.5 cm) (clam; compare age Worldwide paper. It is the same Anadara; rec. in situ author; went extinct. Noting that range with Venus) Cretaceous–Recent; Pleistocene; south Florida reason paleontol- this definition is based on 140.2 MYA–Present ogy and biology date ranges agreed to by Fig. 2. A few examples of thousands of orders, families or genera (presently mollusca) conceal evidence showing no evolution across hundreds of millions of years—facts hidden from the public. of living fossils. international consensus it can be stated that all taxa Former Fossils recovered in Genus, etc. Range remain the same since living fossils situ by the author The date ranges their first appearance. Unchanged in this article are This is critical evidence in Belemnites from Fossilworks: 476 million years the fossil record of which Worldwide Gateway to the (compare extinction 3/4" long (1.8 cm) the public is unaware. Cambrian–Cretaceous; Paleobiology Data- date with Inoceramus) Belemnitella rec. author in situ 542.0–66.043 MYA Cretaceous, South Dakota base, Macquarie So, what does science Univ. Dept. of Palaeoneilo Unchanged do if it has not found Biological Sciences, 348 million years (clam genus; super- Worldwide 1 1/16" w (3.3 cm) Sydney, Australia. the required numberless intermediate fossils but family Nuculanoidea Ordovician–Cretaceous; Palaeoneilo rec. author in situ The database is 488.3 MYA–Present) 488.3–140.2 MYA Mississippian, Jackson, MI assembled by hun- only well-established Unchanged dreds of paleontolo- organisms persisting for Cyclonema 305 million years gists and is based hundreds of millions of (snail genus; subclass Worldwide 13/16" w (2.1 cm) on the fact that the years? (See Figs. 1–7.) Eogastropoda 498.5– Ordovician–Jurassic; Cyclonema rec. by author in situ same fossils are What you do is “ignore” Present; See Fig. 5) 466.0–161.2 MYA Ordovician; Butler Co., Ohio present throughout Fig. 3. Before extinctions all of the worldwide genera presented were living fossils. the world. the facts, appeal to U.S. legislative powers, Examples rec. by author from formations across U.S. and Canada over a 30-yr. span. > Cont. on page 15
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 1 5
The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Mollusca (cont.)
judicial and educational powers children trapped in captive- from being seen or discussed together, and force Darwinism audience classrooms before they in the classroom. The NGSS “as fact” on impressionable learn critical thinking skills. spells it clear that U.S. chil- dren are Former Fossils recovered in This under- Genus, etc. Range to be re- living fossils situ by the author handed warded for Unchanged action is a spouting Conocardium 285 million years disgrace in back and Worldwide (an extinct group of 3/4" long (1.9cm) science and Conocardium ; rec. in situ Devo- promoting unique molluscs) Ordovician–Permian; a misuse of 460.9–252.3 MYA nian; Whitehouse Quarry, Ohio the tenets U.S. gov- of Darwin- Michelinoceras Unchanged ernment ism. As a 283 million years authority (a.k.a. Orthoceras , Worldwide one-time 2 11/16" (6.8 cm) in educa- straight nautiloid child sci- Ordovician–Triassic; Michelinoceras ; Ordovician, tion. I am cephalopod) 488.3–205.6 MYA Newton-Hamilton, Pennsylvania entist who speaking had excel- of the Next Unchanged lent non- Tornoceratina Generation 252 million years propagan- suborder Worldwide Science 1/2" w (1.3cm) dist grade (coiled ammonite) Devonian–Cretaceous; Standards 391.9–140.2 MYA Tornoceras rec. in situ, Devo- school nian; Arkona, Ontario, Canada (NGSS ) teachers craftily Unchanged (who were Grammysioidea formulated also per- superfamily 250 million years Worldwide 2" long (5.1cm) with the mitted to Grammysioidea ; Devonian; (clams) Ordovician–Triassic; involve- express 471.8–221.5 MYA Pottsville, Pennsylvania ment of Fig. 5. Three fossil snails demonstrating their own such insti- Unchanged a great continuity opinions), Tropidodiscus tutions as 236 million years through time. Their I can state (snail; compare syn- Worldwide the Ameri- combined classes 11/16" l (1.9cm) plainly that chronous age range Ordovician–Permian; extend from the Early Tropidodiscus ; in situ Devonian; can Asso- the NGSS w/clam, Nuculites ) 488.3–252.3 MYA Cambrian 542 million Seven Stars, Pennsylvania ciation for is set up to the Ad- years ago up to the Nuculites Unchanged dominate vancement Present. Such continu- 236 million years ity, as with all fossils, is the K-12 (clam; compare syn- Worldwide 3/4" long (1.9cm) of Science chronous age range w/ concealed by Darwin- window Ordovician–Permian; Nuculites ; rec. in situ Devonian; (AAAS) snail, Tropidodiscus ) ism through unbridled during 488.3–252.3 MYA Seven Stars, Pennsylvania forcing a diversion in the present which time State ideol- taxonomic system used Unchanged children ogy on in anthropology, pale- Platyceras 222 million years ontology, and biology. would nor- Worldwide children. 3/4" wide (1.9cm) mally de- (snail) Silurian–Triassic; The system requires Platyceras ; rec. in situ Missis- different groups to velop criti- 443.7–221.5 MYA sippian; Mt. Vernon, Missouri The forcing of an ideol- either be discovered cal thinking or rhetorically created. Unchanged ogy on skills. See For instance, the top Modiomorpha 214 million years children Mandatory Worldwide two fossils are not only 1 1/2" l (3.8cm) U.S.- (clam) proves it is called different species, Ordovician–Triassic; Modiomorpha ; in situ Devo- legislated 455.8–242.0 MYA nian; Pottsville, Pennsylvania time for an but different genera, external different families, dif- indoctrina- Unchanged investiga- ferent orders, and even tion now in Edmondia 205 million years tion into different subclasses. place—1st Worldwide 1 3/16" (3 cm) The bottom fossil is target, (clam) Ordovician–Permian how these Edmondia ; rec. in situ author regarded as a differ- captive- 457.5–252.3; MYA Pennsylvanian, Pennsylvania organiza- ent class entirely. Like audience tions are with ammonites, think Unchanged getting dog breeds , not differ- children in Allorisma 166 million years away with ent species. Bottom: K-12 class- Worldwide 3 3/8" (8.8 cm) Aldanella , class Helcionel- rooms (clam) Silurian–Permian; Allorisma ; in situ ; Pennsylva- something loida, Cambrian, 542 million (pdf) or 418.7–252.3 MYA nian; Junction City, Kansas that goes years old (Shaler & Foerste against the 1888). Middle: html ( PCN Unchanged very nature Platystoma , subclass #28, Tentaculites Eogastropoda, 498 million years March-April 162 million years of science— ago–Present, Silurian (recovered Worldwide 7/16" ea. (1 cm) (an extinct group of from formation by the author); 2014). Ordovician–Carboniferous; Tentaculites ; rec. in situ setting up unique molluscs) see Fig. 2). Top: Naticop- 488.3–326.4 MYA Devonian; Arkona, Ontario a system sis , subclass Orthogastropoda, In the first to prevent 488.3 million years ago–Present installment Fig. 4. Continuing examples of well established living fossils with astounding existence conflicting (Natural History Museum). ranges and no morphing between genera. Despite Darwinism forced on the public this evidence is the truth of the fossil record. Date ranges are agreed to by international consensus. > Cont. on page 16
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The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Mollusca (cont.)
of this series I showed through textbooks are packed with because of its objectivity. The citation that American biology, fraud in the name of science fossil record should be taught paleontology, and anthropology (Basic propaganda techniques in in the very same way. Evolu- college tionists can Former Fossils recovered in Genus, etc. Range textbooks , use it. living fossils situ by the author PCN #23, Creationists May-June can use it. Unchanged 2013; Fic- Caritodens 161 million years And anyone Worldwide tions taught 3" wide (5.2 cm) who wants (clam, a.k.a. Pterinea ) Ordovician–Permian; as fact in Caritodens ; rec. in situ Ordovi- 456.1–295 MYA college to use it cian; Little Bay de Noc, U.P. textbooks, objectively Goniasma Unchanged 1st half , without any PCN #23, (snail; superorder 157 million years philosophi- Worldwide May-June Caenogastropoda488.3 9/16" w (1.4 cm) cal aim in MYA–Present unchanged Devonian–Permian; Goniasma ; rec. in situ , 2013; and 409.1–252.3 MYA 488 million years ) Pennsylvanian; Paris, Illinois 2nd half , mind can PCN #24, use it. If we Unchanged July-August want the Econospira 153 million years Worldwide 2013 ). fossil record 13/16" w (2 cm) (snail) Devonian–Permian; Fig. 7. Top: What to be taught Econospira ; rec. in situ , 412.3–259.0 MYA Because scallops looked like Pennsylvanian; Paris, Illinois as science of pre- when they first ap- then we Inoceramus Unchanged peared in the fossil commit- need to 130 million years ment to record hundreds of (clam; compare Worldwide 3 3/8" w (7.6cm) millions of years ago look at it extinction date with evolution- Jurassic–Cretaceous; Inoceramus ; rec. in situ , Creta- (recovered from with clear Belemnites ) 196.5–66.043 MYA ceous; Alexandria, Nebraska ism—an formation by the eyes and ideological Unchanged author; See Fig. 2). let it take Mooreoceras belief sys- 124 million years Bottom: What a us where Worldwide tem that modern-day scallop (straight cephalopod 2" long (5 cm) it leads. with Palaeoneilo clam) Devonian–Permian; Mooreoceras ; rec. in situ depends looks like— 376.1–252.3 MYA Mississippian; Jackson, MI upon ig- demonstrating no evolution. Remem- noring the JOHN F ELIKS Unchanged ber, we are not Col- has specialized 112 million years facts of talking about “dog- lignoniceratidae Worldwide in the study of 1 5/16" w (3.2 cm) the fossil breed level” differ- Jurassic–Cretaceous; early human ammonite family Collignoniceras ; in situ ; Creta- record— ences. The fossil 183.0–70.6 MYA cognition for ceous; Alexandria, Nebraska the mod- record is full of un- twenty years changing genera; ern taxo- demonstrating and this is true of all Unchanged nomic beyond any genera. Yet this fact Orthonota 97 million years system is reasonable Worldwide is concealed from doubt that (ancient razor clam) Ordovician–Devonian; 1 1/2" long (3.8 cm) not ob- children being forced Orthonota ; rec. in situ Devo- human cogni- 457.5–360.7 MYA jectively to adopt evolution- nian; Pottsville, Pennsylvania tion does not driven. ism as a “fact” in evolve. Earlier, Imagine captive-audience Unchanged his focus was U.S. classrooms. The Baculites 78.5 million years if chemis- on the inverte- Worldwide only fact is that the 11/16" l (1.8 cm) try’s Peri- brate fossil (straight cephalopod) fossil record consists Cretaceous–Paleocene; Baculites ; recovered in situ odic Table record study- 140.2–61.7 MYA of nothing but well Cretaceous; W. South Dakota ing fossils in of the established and the field Unchanged Elements unchanging organ- across the Ambonychia 63 million years was not isms worldwide with Worldwide U.S. and parts 1 1/2" l (1.9cm) taught as startlingly long exis- (a.k.a. Byssonchia: clam) Ordovician–Devonian; of Canada as Ambonychia rec. in situ ; objective tence ranges. 471.8–409.1 MYA Ordovician; Middletown, Ohio well as study- science Euryzone ing many of Unchanged but was the classic texts ( Treatise on Inver- (snail genus; subclass 52 million years instead tebrate Paleontology , Index Fossils Orthogastropoda Worldwide of North America , etc.). With the 7/8" w (2.1cm) interlaced 488.3 MYA–Present; Silurian-Devonian; Euryzone rec. in situ, Devo- advent of the Next Generation Sci- unchanged 488 million with phi- 422.9–370.6 nian; Milan, Illinois ence Standards setting up a Feder- years; See Fig. 5) losophies ally-controlled education system attempting Treptoceras Unchanged forcing a common ideology on U.S. to substi- children as fact while blocking dis- (nautiloid genus;order 20 million years Worldwide tute for cussion of opposing evidence, Feliks Orthocerida 488.3– 2" long (5 cm) 112.6 MYA, unchanged Ordovician; Treptoceras ; in situ , author; religion. encourages students of all ages to 376 million years 466.0–445.6 MYA Ordovician; Boone Co., Kentucky The Table require teachers present all evidence of the Ele- objectively and to demand that Fig. 6. More examples of fossils with astounding existence ranges and no morph- evolutionism be held to the same ments is ing between genera. Instead of being coerced into Darwinism as threatened by the accountability as normal sciences. NGSS, innocent school children need to be taught the “facts” of the fossil record. profound
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Brain matters, Part 3: What determines
intelligence?
By Vesna Tenodi MA archaeology; artist and writer
Form and substance— field of brain morphometry, gence. shape and content? or neuroimaging, usually through magnetic resonance. One of the features which In the last two articles I might account for Einstein’s “Brain mentioned brain size as a Morphometry allows re- genius is the unusual thick- plasticity potentially searchers to quantify ana- ness of the corpus callo- is a misleading tomical features of the brain sum—the large bundle of dominant marker of in terms of shape, mass, and fibres that connects the two intelligence volume. It also makes it cerebral hemispheres and factor in and cogni- possible to derive more spe- enables information transfer deter- tive capac- cific information such as and communication between mining ity (more encephalisation quotient, them. Also, the shape of intelli- on this be- grey matter density, white Einstein’s brain is different low). In matter connectivity, cortical from the common shape, gence. actuality, thickness and other vari- with a larger than average Plasticity brain mor- ables, which then can be prefrontal cortex, and highly refers to phology, mapped within the brain developed convolutions the density and volume or on the brain sur- (Brain: a Journal of Neurol- convolu- face. All these subfields of ogy , September 2013). brain’s tion, as brain science are parts of the ability to well as the shape of the emerging field of neuroinfor- Croatian-born scientist Ni- skull, appear to be far more matics, kola change Tesla, a as a re- important (see Fig. 1 for a which is map of the brain’s basic re- develop- deeply sult of gions). ing algo- inspired learn- rithms inven- ing.” Likewise phrenology (the to ana- tor, is study of head shape to de- lyse the another termine intelligence and per- new genius sonality) and morphology data. who had (the study of the form and a brain anatomical structure of the As a smaller brain) also can only lead to result, than the tentative conclusions. we can Fig 1. Basic regions of the brain. Image aver- under- courtesy of Stephen Holland. age, but According to brain science stand with a today, brain plasticity is a why large dominant factor in determin- there have been geniuses prefrontal cortex, as well as ing intelligence. Plasticity with tiny brains, and idiots a high, wide forehead. The refers to the brain’s ability to with huge ones throughout prefrontal cortex is an indi- change as a result of learn- history. cator of the capacity for ab- ing. This means our intelli- stract thinking and imagina- gence can be enhanced or Einstein’s brain was smaller tion. Tesla was famous for dulled throughout life. The than the average, and conducting his experiments effort we put into thinking weighed only 1,230 grams, in his mind first, in his and learning can change while the ordinary adult “virtual laboratory,” where neural pathways and syn- brain weighs about 1,400 he “visualised” the experi- apses, can change behavior, grams. His brain has been ment until he was satisfied and make us better or worse analysed since his death in and started testing it in the human beings. This notion 1955, in order to find more led to the rapidly evolving clues to his superior intelli- > Cont. on page 18
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What determines intelligence? (cont.)
real world. Much like with up to 1,900cc. This is much type of behaviour to a small Einstein, some of Tesla’s larger than that of the aver- region inside the skull. How inventions became verifiable age modern human (again, regions communicate with only after his death, when 1,400cc). And yet, until re- each other (brain dynamics) cently, is important, in addition to Neander- brain shape and topography. thals were deemed Heidelberg University in Ger- incapable many has been conducting of cogni- extensive research to obtain tion and insight into the functional concep- interactions among brain tual think- regions, and to explore ways ing. to enhance higher functions such as mental alertness and Intelli- imagination. gence deter- Imagination, creativity, ab- mined by stract thinking, as well as thought the capacity for embracing new ideas all reside in the Brain frontal lobes [ Human Brain plasticity Project , Heidelberg Univer- (its ability sity, 2013]. to change and de- velop through- Fig 2. Brain regions. Image courtesy of Stephen Holland. out life, VESNA T ENODI is an archaeologist, generat- artist, and writer based in Syd- ney, Australia. She received her the technological develop- ing new or losing existing ment caught up with his Master’s Degree in Archaeology “No neural connections) means from the University of Zagreb, envisioned inventions and that certain types of thought Croatia. She also has a diploma feature enabled their testing. He can lead to the development in Fine Arts from the School of should worked alone, and some of of a particular part of the Applied Arts in Zagreb. Her De- be his inventions and claims brain, while inactivity leads gree Thesis was focused on the were seen as baffling and to shrinkage in other parts of spirituality of Neolithic man in taken Central Europe as evidenced in bizarre, which alienated him the brain. as de- from mainstream science. He iconography and symbols in Some people are born with a prehistoric cave art and pottery. finitive was labeled a mad scientist After migrating to Sydney, she brain better designed for proof by some, and a genius by worked for 25 years for the Aus- others (Margaret Cheney, particular types of thought. tralian Government, and ran her of a Tesla: Man Out of Time, Innate predispositions and own business. Today she is an primi- 2001). talents can be enhanced or independent researcher and tive stunted, depending on per- spiritual archaeologist, concen- “If 50 million people say sonal choice, effort, and de- trating on the origins and mean- mind or a foolish thing, it is still termination. ing of pre-Aboriginal Australian an a foolish thing.” rock art. In the process, she is developing a theory of the Pre- evolved Recent advancements in -Anatole France brain science show us that Aboriginal races which she has called the Rajanes and Abra- intelli- no feature should be taken The French poet, journalist janes. In 2009, Tenodi estab- gence.” and novelist, and Nobel Prize as definitive proof of a primi- lished the DreamRaiser project, laureate, Anatole France (as tive mind or an evolved in- with a group of artists who ex- cited), had a brain weighing telligence. Brain mapping plore iconography and ideas contained in ancient art and only 1,200 grams, well be- involves a number of tech- mythology. low average. And yet, he left niques, to explore brain to- us some of our best insights pography and identify which regions are responsible for into human nature. Website: www.modrogorje.com what functions ( Fig. 2 ). On the other end of the E-mail: [email protected] brain size scale there is the The way the brain works is Neanderthal, with a brain of much more complex than relating a certain talent or
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Brain matters, Part 4: Open mind versus
closed mind —The view from Australia
By Vesna Tenodi MA archaeology; artist and writer
An open mind, or open- Archaeology at the Univer- increasingly encroached on mindedness, means having sity of Sydney. the public understanding of a mind that is receptive to archaeology. Alternative new ideas and information. Professor Hiscock does not shy archaeology has presented “The op- Having an open mind is con- away from controversy or con- to the public a wide range of posite to trasted with close-mindedness frontation. He has openly criti- hidden histories, arguing that these are the real stories of which will cised the current approach in open- the Australian past and that reject ideas which contemporary tribes have science intentionally denies minded- without any the final say in the interpreta- ness is tion of archaeological material. these histories the acknowl- consideration. edgement they deserve. inflexibil- He sees the current ethno- The opposite graphic approach and the im- While some of these hidden ity in of open- perative of consulting Aborigi- histories result from research thinking, mindedness nes to inform on prehistory as a that imitates the process of or men- is inflexibil- flawed method of research. His science, increasingly they are tal rigid- ity in think- rational approach and his view a product of mysticism em- ing, or men- that contemporary tribes should bedded in New Age thinking. ity, and a tal rigidity, have nothing to do with the Significantly, the alternative dimin- and a dimin- interpretation of Palaeolithic archaeology has an increased ished ca- ished capac- cultures has made him quite publication output and there are indications of significant pacity for ity for a few enemies. In response, imagination and abstract some emotional researchers popularity of some of these imagina- reasoning. Conventional sci- have accused him of being visions. In view of these circumstances it may be that tion and ence is sometimes perceived “insensitive to Aborigines.” in the longer term archaeolo- as being closed-minded. abstract Some of Dr. Hiscock’s accusers gists will benefit from greater reason- Closed-mindedness in science call his approach “arrogant.” consideration of the nature of ing. Con- is a special problem because He further alienated main- alternative archaeology, the it defies the very purpose of stream scientists by calling for hidden histories it produces, ventional and the social context in science. The scientific method them to pay more attention which it is generated” science requires open-mindedness and and to acknowledge and take is some- an unbiased investigation of the note of unconventional views -Peter Hiscock, Archaeology in times available data. The first true rule of the Australian past. He Oceania , 1996 of science should be to follow made a case for the impor- per- So, as we continue to explore the evidence where it leads— tance of alternative, spiritual the evidence from archaeology ceived as regardless of where it leads. archaeology, and pointed out let us hold on to the important being that regardless of how mys- quality of open-mindedness. closed- Archaeological practice in tical some ideas might ap- Australia over the last three minded.” pear at first, they ought to VESNA T ENODI is an archaeologist, or four decades could well be be considered and discussed artist, and writer based in Sydney, Australia. She received her Master’s described as closed-minded. It by conventional archaeology. has become so entrenched in Degree in Archaeology from the University of Zagreb, Croatia. She dogma that some may think Unconventional views of Aus- also has a diploma in Fine Arts from archaeology in Australia is now tralian prehistory have often the School of Applied Arts in Za- a lost cause. But there were— been proven to be correct. In greb. Her Degree Thesis was fo- and still are—some exceptional criticism of closed-minded cused on the spirituality of Neolithic people who give us hope that practices Dr. Hiscock stated: man in Central Europe as evidenced in iconography and symbols in all is not lost. It is even more “In recent years Australian prehistoric cave art and pottery. interesting when such people After migrating to Sydney, she archaeologists have been who criticise the mainstream worked for 25 years for the Austra- occupied with a number of are themselves a part of it. lian Government, and ran her own pressing political issues. Amid business. Today Tenodi is an inde- In Australian academia there the numerous debates in pendent researcher and spiritual archaeologist, concentrating on the is an open-minded archae- which conventional archae- ologists have been engaged origins and meaning of pre- ologist who just may bring there has been comparatively Aboriginal Australian rock art. some sense back into Aus- little discussion of unconven- Website: www.modrogorje.com tralian prehistory. He is Pe- tional archaeology and the ter Hiscock, Professor of degree to which it may have E-mail: [email protected]
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Tales of a fossil collector, Part 6
By John Feliks
This installment is a supple- record. It is my hope have diffi- ment to “ The Inconvenient that Americans will real- culty rec- facts of liv- ize that they are not ognizing ing fossils: being dealt with squarely the fossils Mollusca ,” by these institutions. on this page also in this (Fig. 1 ). issue. The One thing concealed by Everyone reason for the NGSS is that the can in- this empha- invertebrate animals stantly sis is crucial one sees living in the recognize and timely. lakes and oceans of snails, It was written today have been around clams, and mostly for since the dawn of time. scallops U.S. citizens, The NGSS doesn’t want even but those in though other countries should be Fig. 1. All fossils pictured these fos- informed of what is happening on these two pages were sils are collected by the author in situ di- here in the rectly from well-known for- hundreds of millions of U.S. against mations across the United years old. And if one is true science. States and Canada. Clock- familiar with the modern wise from the top: Avicu- Nautilus shell ( Fig. 2 , next In process in lopecten scallop, Mississip- page), one can clearly the U.S. is a pian, Marshall Sandstone, recognize it in the ancient Jackson, Michigan; Scallop, nationaliza- coiled am- Pleistocene, south- tion of science monite training which ern Florida; Cyc- Map. Location of the above it. includes the lonema snail, Or- fossil locality recom- dovician, Middle- mended in this arti- forced impo- town, Butler In a few cle, Hungry Hollow sition on K-12 County, Ohio; instances Formation, Arkona, schoolchil- Platystoma snail, one might in southeastern On- dren of a Silurian, Waldron even won- tario, Canada. challenged Shale, Waldron, der if some myth of hu- Indiana; Goniasma of these man origins— snail, Pennsylva- fossils nian, Paris, Illinois; Darwinism— Orthonota clam, aren’t “There is as scientific Mahantango for- actually no easy- “fact.” The mation, Pottsville, modern- access nationaliza- Pennsylvania; day shells tion project is Nuculoidea-type picked up record in known as The nut clam, presently off the existence Next Genera- missing the label, beach even Pennsylvanian age that is tion Science with a Mesolobus though the more Standards brachiopod in the ones shown (NGSS ) and same slab; Pa- on these complete, is pushing a laeoneilo clam, two pages more blinkered Marshall Sand- alone are compre- view of the fossil record as one stone, Jackson, Michigan. as much as hensive, of constant change . The fossil 466 million record itself is objective. How- children to know this as years old or more ever, the legislation is set up to it makes it difficult to get (Cyclo- objective prevent children from discussing them to believe that these nema, than the evidence in the record that con- animals morphed into each third from fossil re- flicts with Darwinism—such as other. The fossil record the bottom no change . The institutions that doesn’t even come close to above). cord.” drafted the NGSS document showing such morphing . are depending on American That’s how good fossil pres- complacency and their know- As an example, there are few ervation can be. ing very little about the fossil people anywhere who would > Cont. on page 21
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Tales of a fossil collector, Part 6 (cont.)
Yet the public is being sold a naming and re-naming of Trevor McNaughton explores in picture of the fossil record as organisms. It’s a trick that the earlier pages of this issue. a flawed record or as a record causes people to imagine that “imperfectly all manner of species have Why not consider getting back kept,” as morphed into each other. out into nature and making Charles Darwin, How is it that paleontologists direct contact with the fossil the founder of get away with claiming that record for yourself? The lo- modern evolu- there are tens of thousands cation where the ammonite tionism had of different species of snails, was found, for instance, is a hoped it would clams, and other inverte- beautiful locality in southern be. But that’s brates supposedly morphing Ontario ( Fig. 3 ). Let’s start all it was— into each other across geo- looking at fossils objectively hope. Trust in logical time when they are again because what we be- this view of the clearly no more different from lieve about the fossil record fossil record is each other than dog breeds will have a direct bearing on about as unsci- are? It is because many of what we believe about hu- entific and in- these creatures are now ex- man origins. appropriate as tinct and can easily be called anyone trained anything taxonomists wish to in science could call them. Established organ- JOHN F ELIKS has specialized in the get. The fact is isms are regularly taken out study of early human cognition for twenty years demonstrating beyond that there is no of hundred-year categories; any reasonable doubt that human easy-access and once-coherent groups are cognition does not evolve. Earlier, record in exis- constantly being split into all his focus was on the invertebrate tence that is manner of species, more complete, genera, and or- more compre- ders based on hensive, or more things as subtle as objective than differently-placed the fossil record. muscle scars or hinge notches— The falsehood until even special- of imperfection ists can’t find what or incomplete- they’re looking for. ness in the fossil record is Evolutionary bi- perpetuated by ologist and tax- mainstream onomist Professor science for a Roderic Page at Fig. 2. Top: Tornoceras, coiled cephalo- single reason: the University of pod fossil, Devonian, recovered by the Fig. 3. The author at the Hungry Hollow Forma- author in situ, Arkona shale; Arkona, 150 years ago Glasgow, Scot- tion on the Aux Sable River, near Arkona, On- Ontario, Canada. The exact locality is the science land, and former tario, Canada (see Map on prior page) at the pictured in Fig. 3. Bottom: Nautilus, mod- community editor of the jour- location of discovering the Tornoceras coiled ern-day coiled cephalopod (Wikimedia made the mis- nal, Systematic ammonite pictured in Fig. 2. A group of friends “……..”Commons). These two demonstrate the take of putting Biology, has ex- rented a camper and spent the weekend at this continuity of this type of creature through all of its eggs plored the prob- most pleasant locality. Photo: J. Mosquera, 1990. time. Apart from dog breed-level varia- into one basket lem of re-naming. Paleo hunting camps dating back 11,000 years tions which paleontologists and taxono- have also been found just under a kilometer mists are quick to call thousands of differ- by committing In a Taxacom away so there can be little doubt that they also ent genera and species are pretty much to a mythology forum, for in- observed the fossils in the area. Fossil collecting exactly as when they first appeared in the of origins that stance, he writes: not only gets one out into nature but gives one fossil record over 480 million years ago. even its foun- an opportunity to ponder some of life’s big ques- No one would mistake either one for any- “My question is der, Darwin, tions while making a very direct and uniquely thing but the same type of creature. ‘why do we do already knew personal connection with the past. was not sup- this?’… As names ported by the fossil record. change over time fossil record studying fossils in the So, now they need to discredit it becomes a major chal- lenge to find everything pub- field across the U.S. and parts of the record because it doesn’t Canada as well as studying many of lished about a taxon. … Why support what they wish it did. the classic texts ( Treatise on Inver- not simply accept that we tebrate Paleontology , Index Fossils Part of what causes people to can’t infer relationships from of North America , etc.). Feliks lose sight of the fact that the name?” encourages everyone to question these fossils are the same sciences that block information and creatures we know today is The same type of thing ap- to start digging deeper to uncover the well-known out-of-control plies to human species as the truth for themselves.
PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 P A G E 2 2
• Learn the real story of our Palaeolithic ancestors—a cosmopolitan story about intelligent and innovative peo- ple—a story which is unlike that promoted by mainstream science.
The • Explore and regain confidence in your own ability to think for yourself regarding human ancestry as a Pleistocene Coalition broader range of evidence becomes available to you.
• Join a community not afraid to challenge the Prehistory is about to change status quo. Question with confidence any paradigm promoted as "scientific" that depends upon withholding conflicting evidence from the public in order to appear unchallenged.
PLEISTOCENE COALITION CONTRIBUTORS to this Pleistocene Coalition NEWS, Vol. 6: Issue 3 ISSUE News is produced by the (May-June) Jarrod Barker Pleistocene Coalition © Copyright 2014 bi-monthly Trevor McNaughton since October 2009. PUBLICATION DETAILS Jeffrey Goodman Back issues can be found
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/LAYOUT Kevin Lynch near the bottom of the John Feliks PC home page. Richard Dullum
Vesna Tenodi To learn more about early COPY EDITORS/PROOFS man in the Pleistocene visit Virginia Steen-McIntyre Virginia Steen-McIntyre our newly redesigned Tom Baldwin David Campbell John Feliks website at
pleistocenecoalition.com SPECIALTY EDITORS
James B. Harrod, Rick Dullum, The Pleistocene Coalition is now Matt Gatton into its fifth year of challenging mainstream scientific dogma. If ADVISORY BOARD you would like to join the coalition Virginia Steen-McIntyre please write to the editors.
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