Google features Ida 'Missing Link' Fossile
For 150 years, scientists have debated the course of our evolutionary journey from tree-dwelling primate to modern Homo sapiens. Today, Google joins the debate. The search engine is focussing on evolution's 'missing link', showcasing 'Ida' in today's Google logo. 'Ida' is also known as Darwinius masillae, a 47-million-year-old fossil from the Eocene era. Scientists found Ida in Messel Pit, Germany and soon found out that she is about twenty times older than most fossils related to human evolution. What makes Ida so special is that despite her classification as an early prosimian (lemurs), she has certain undeniable human characteristics such as forward facing eyes and even an opposable thumb.
Ida must have been one of our most web-savvy ancestors too, as she managed to get her very own dedicated website, revealingthelink.com. There you can find out what Ida's world must have looked like, how we got from 'Ida' to 'human' and the implications for the current evolution theories. Of course, you're also urged to buy the book.
If you're not that much into reading, you can still learn about Ida, as she's starring in 'Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor' which airs on BBC One at 9pm on Tuesday 26th May. For the USA, 'the Link, a two-hour event special, airs on Memorial Day – Monday May 25th, 2009 at 9pm ET/PT. It is being screened by History across the US.
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More interesting reading on the debate 'science vs hype' aspect if this find and it's presenation to the media & world:
Matthew Nisbet for 'Framing Science'
"In the academic and professional fields of science communication, the story of Ida will be analyzed and debated for some time. At one level, as I explained yesterday, the innovative strategy and resources spent on popularizing this finding to a broader audience is exactly the type of method needed to reach a mass public in an age of fragmented audiences. Indeed, it's likely that Ida has been a major conversation starter at water coolers across the world. And "talking science" is a good thing, sparking incidental attention and interest in science that for some portion of this temporary audience will lead to a longer term engagement with science through the media." Definitely go read his "going broad" scenario blogpost.
A discussion on the 'real' importantce of the Ida find
Ewen Callaway over at Short Sharp Science has some doubts about exageration of facts in Ida's press release.
excellent logo by google very quick thinking from their side and lucky old chap for being there
Old Chap? I think Ida was female?!
What a dupe. The skull on that thing couldn't be any further away from us on the chain. Ida is the missing kink.
...with all the great ancient and prehistorical names out there - Gilgamesh, Apollo, Salmaneser - you would've thought the scientist, who would've literally been wetting his or her pants at this discovery, could come up with a better name than Ida?
... Ida *does* sound a bit like the name of your great, great aunt (the old one who lives a long way away and who you've never met). So maybe it's appropriate?
Personally, I like 'Ida' better too. As Lyn says, it sounds familiar, like a far away relative, and there are less possibilities to misspell than with Gilgamesch..err... gilchameg.. errr.. gilgamesh... . Ida was destined by the museum & publishers to become a superstar, and an easy, recognisable name is something that goes with that.
PS. Apparently - not sure how right this is, but I did read it in 'the Economist', Ida was not recently discovered. She has been known for over 20 years already, but was part of a private collection. Only recently, the museum became her new owner.
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