gives a capacity ca. 134,400 cubic inches, which after division by 5,000 individuals yields approximately 27 cubic inches per individual on average. 3"x9"x1". Does this seem unreasonably small to you?
quote:Originally posted by Giant Communist Robot: gives a capacity ca. 134,400 cubic inches, which after division by 5,000 individuals yields approximately 27 cubic inches per individual on average. 3"x9"x1". Does this seem unreasonably small to you?
Shouldn't that be 1"x4"x9" since we're talking about evolution and early man? (I don't think I'm authorized to give out points yet) (:
I could see 27 cubic inches being enough for 5000 shin bones or a jaw... Throw in some complete adult human skulls at approximately 5.5" x 8" x 6" = 264 cubic inches and that starts to take up a lot more room. I do realize these are all approximations and a lot of the specimans are fragments and that hominids often had skulls half the size of humans. But based on that estimate, I think a pickup truck is a little on the small side.
-------------------- If the sum of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the square on the other two sides, why is a mouse when it spins? Posts: 90 | From: Cleveland, OH | Registered: Nov 2005
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Shouldn't that be 1"x4"x9" since we're talking about evolution and early man?
Huh?
I think he's making a joke about Arthur C Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey. That obelisk thingie was in the ratio 1:4:9.
Posts: 2018 | From: Santa Barbara, California | Registered: Aug 2005
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GCR, I was mostly talking about the estimates I made on human skull size, etc. I'm sure I could come up with better estimates with more research. But I believe I am agreeing with you in saying that "it seems unreasonably small."
Though I'm a little confused on what the "5,000 individuals" are: 5,000 individual fossil fragments (then maybe the answer is yes, it could fit in a pickup truck); or 5,000 groupings of fragments of individual "people" including skulls and near complete skeletons?
-------------------- If the sum of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the square on the other two sides, why is a mouse when it spins? Posts: 90 | From: Cleveland, OH | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I contacted Ian Tattersall about his comment in Bryson's book, here is his reply:
quote:Yes, I think a big pickup could accommodate all ancient human fossils known. But that's a lot! The human fossil record is pretty good.
At 08:10 PM 12/7/2005, you wrote: >In Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything," you said "You >could fit it all(human pre-history remains) into the back of a pickup >truck if you didn't mind how much you jumbled everything up." > > >I have been discussing this with others who think you are wrong. >Could you tell me if you were exagerating or is this a reasonable >estimate? > > > > >Thanks. > > > >...
Ian Tattersall Division of Anthropology American Museum of Natural History New York NY 10024, USA Tel: 1 212 769 5877 Fax: 1 212 769 5334
posted
Well, I don't really feel comfortable with the measurement, but if it's so, it's so. At least he said a "big" pickup, so I can derive some measure of face-saving therefrom...
(I don't like being shown wrong any more than the next guy...but at least it's better than continuing to *be* wrong!)
Silas
Posts: 16801 | From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
On the OP, have any of you seen this little beauty? I saw it at B&N the other day looking for a real science book and flipped thru it for a minute. Then I went home and took a shower and burned my clothes to get the stench of idiocy off me before it affected my grades. If you're a conspiricy nut looking for a new target, this is definitely the book to read
-------------------- Conforming meant that everyone liked you except yourself Rebecca Posts: 682 | From: Jacksonville, FL | Registered: Aug 2005
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quote:Originally posted by WingedBear: Throw in some complete adult human skulls at approximately 5.5" x 8" x 6" = 264 cubic inches and that starts to take up a lot more room.
Not really. Skulls are hollow. You can fit lots of small pieces inside a single skull, so the "lost" space isn't really lost.
posted
I contacted Bob Park about the meaning of "isolation" as used in his seven indicators, here is his reply:
quote:Thanks.
By 'isolation" I meant "outside the community of scientists." It is less and less likely in today's world that important contributions will come from someone who does not: keep up with the literature, attend conferences, or discuss findings with colleagues. It is not impossible, but it is a warning.
>>> 12/6/2005 9:58 PM >>> Could you define isolation as used in your indicator 6.The discoverer has worked in isolation, please?
Thank you.
I really enjoyed "Voodoo Science," but bobpark.org is teriffic!
And, Ganzfeld, while I'm sure the phrase "outside the community of scientists" is clear to you--it looks like other things you have said--its still uncomfortably open to interpretation. But Bob did include three specific items:
keep up with the literature
attend conferences
discuss findings with colleagues
and applied to Ray Dart:
indeed, was well informed by the literature
no conferences
published his paper in "Nature"
It was my feeling--perhaps misunderstanding--that discussion with his colleagues meant consulting with them while doing his investigation. If this is true, then remember no one heard any of his stuff until he published it in "Nature" magazine.
On the other hand, Bob says "discuss findings." Findings can suggest completion of work, and if this is the case, his paper qualifies as discussion.
Today, any scientist doing important work will have some transparency with his colleagues--many will be aware of what he is doing, some even privy to the details. This wasn't the case for Dart. He caught everyone by surprise.
So--taking my cue from Silas--I'll try to be gracious and concede this point.
posted
That is very rare for anything new to come from outside the established community. It can happen, but would be highly unusual.
-------------------- "To be or not to be! That is the question! Now, will you answer, dare, double dare, or take the Physical Challenge?" --Mark Summers as Hamlet Countdown: 177 days and counting... or less. My blog. 14 keyboards owed. Posts: 5584 | From: Ohio | Registered: Dec 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Arriah: On the OP, have any of you seen this little beauty? I saw it at B&N the other day looking for a real science book and flipped thru it for a minute. Then I went home and took a shower and burned my clothes to get the stench of idiocy off me before it affected my grades. If you're a conspiricy nut looking for a new target, this is definitely the book to read
You're being much too kind to this publication, Arriah (I had a look at the contents, and especially at the reader's comments) - it's not idiocy... actually, it's pure evil ... and the rest of the collection looks exactly the same.
-------------------- Desperate, but not serious. Posts: 689 | From: Confoederatio Helvetica | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
Ahh yes, as I was attempting to clone the NEDD8 gene today I suddenly realised my vecor was not suitable to support "the liberal, anti-religious propagnada" which I'm suppose to produce. I have since switched to a vecor which proposes taxing policies which take large percentages from the rich, increased funding in social services and support gay marriage. I've already had to destroy data that suggests that increased immigration increases the rate of colorectal cancer in a small proportion of the population.
posted
(Back from a week of actually doing all that stuff about colleagues. *ptui* Enough to make me want to be a crackpot scientist isntead of trying to be a real one.)
Clearly these seven "signs" are just guideposts on your way to the land of perpetual motion and spontaneous intelligent design (?). Dart was probably a borderline case, I guess.
Posts: 4922 | From: Kyoto, Japan | Registered: Sep 2005
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... and the rest of the collection looks exactly the same.
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