Hobbits and humans and giants … oh my!
Giant ape lived alongside humansA gigantic ape, measuring about 10 feet tall and weighing up to 1,200 pounds, co-existed alongside humans, a geochronologist at McMaster University has discovered.
Using a high-precision absolute-dating method (techniques involving electron spin resonance and uranium series), Jack Rink, associate professor of geography and earth sciences at McMaster, has determined that Gigantopithecus blackii, the largest primate that ever lived, roamed southeast Asia for nearly a million years before the species died out 100,000 years ago. This was known as the Pleistocene period, by which time humans had already existed for a million years.
“A missing piece of the puzzle has always focused on pin-pointing when Gigantopithecus existed,” explains Rink. “This is a primate that co-existed with humans at a time when humans were undergoing a major evolutionary change. Guangxi province in southern China, where the Gigantopithecus fossils were found, is the same region where some believe the modern human race originated.”
Wow, coordinated well with the release of King Kong
Quite a story, but we are unlikely to find anywhere in the establishment scientific journals or the MSM insightful analysis such as this.
Ha! I keep thinking the release of “Chicken Little” and the whole bird-flu scare is kinda funny. ;)
one issue, i don’t think modern homo sapiens sapiens was necessarily in east asia during this time. but, the fossil record is notoriously thin around this period, so who knows? there was a documentary on PBS in 1990 which implied that this ape might still exist in china and be the reason for the famous “wild man” mythologies. i guess nothing came out of that.
The fact that the poor blighter died out 100k years ago rather implies that homo was around: we probably ate him.
Heh. The origin of the David and Goliath story? Interesting to think that King Kong might have some sort of meaning behind it.