"Missing link found? Scientists unveil fossil of 47 million-year-old primate
Feast your eyes on what a group of scientists call the Holy Grail of human evolution.
[...] it had opposable thumbs like humans and fingernails instead of claws.
Scientists say the cat-sized animal's hind legs offer evidence of evolutionary changes that led to primates standing upright - a breakthrough that could finally confirm Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
"This specimen is like finding the Lost Ark for archeologists," lead scientist Jorn Hurum said at a ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History.
"It is the scientific equivalent of the Holy Grail. This fossil will probably be the one that will be pictured in all textbooks for the next 100 years."
The find seems quite interesting. I am shocked at all the hyperbole. This is something that was found outside of Frankfurt, a Laurasian species. Gorilla, Chimps, and Humans are Gondwanan species. This right away should be ringing alarm bells. At first I thought it was just the reporter who was exaggerating about what this fossil means. It certainly doesn't 'finally confirm' Darwin's Theory of Evolution; no theories are ever confirmed, they can be refuted, or as-yet-un-refuted', not confirmed or proven. And this fossil in particular isn't adding anything especially special. I don't want to say that the fossil is unimportant or un-special, especially since, obviously, I don't have the expertise to examine it, but I'd think c.f. archaeopteryx is a better 'transitional' form, I mean, if a feathered reptile doesn't convince someone that evolution is on to something, then this lemur certainly won't.
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