http://thenaturalhistorian.com Inquiry into Nature in the Spirit of John Ray Mon, 20 May 2013 18:23:20 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://0.gravatar.com/blavatar/657a69ca7cd5568fe83b7ca89587a6e5?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.png http://thenaturalhistorian.com http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/20/implications-of-artifacts-and-bones-on-ancient-human-butchery-practices/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/20/implications-of-artifacts-and-bones-on-ancient-human-butchery-practices/#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 17:08:43 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=22433 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/20/implications-of-artifacts-and-bones-on-ancient-human-butchery-practices/feed/ 0 Bone-processing-marks-hominid naturalhistorian More of the A Horse is a Horse series: 1) A horse is a horse of course 2) When is a horse a horse? 3) In search of the equine common ancestory 4) Horsing around with genetic sorting The extinct elephant Deinotherum was quite a bit larger than even the largest elephant today. It's bones have been found from Asia to Europe and through the upper half of Africa. This report from Kenya is the first time I've seen their bones associated with evidence of human occupation. The dig site where these bones and artifacts have been found over the past decade of research at this site. A small antelope leg bone with cut marks, indicative of early human butchery practices with stone tools. The tools for making these cuts where also found in the same area. (Credit: Image courtesy of Baylor University) Sample artifacts collected at this site in southern Kenya. These are clearly not an advanced form of stone tools that one might find at more modern archaeological sites. Image from: http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/june-2012/article/the-hard-stuff-of-culture-oldowan-archaeology-at-kanjera-south-kenya http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/16/nh-notes-gall-mites-in-amber-similar-but-not-the-same-as-today/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/16/nh-notes-gall-mites-in-amber-similar-but-not-the-same-as-today/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 16:51:59 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=23005 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/16/nh-notes-gall-mites-in-amber-similar-but-not-the-same-as-today/feed/ 2 gall-mites-amber-italy naturalhistorian Preserved gall mites in amber found encased in rocks at the base of mountains in Italy. A modern gall mite. Image credit: USDA Agricultural Research Station, Bugwood.org Drawing made from one of the mites encased in amber. This is from the PNAS article found in the references. http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/15/the-fake-fringes-falling-victim-internet-parody/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/15/the-fake-fringes-falling-victim-internet-parody/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 14:02:01 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=22763 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/15/the-fake-fringes-falling-victim-internet-parody/feed/ 3 aquatic-child-ape-theory naturalhistorian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/14/state-of-creationism-as-viewed-by-google-trends/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/14/state-of-creationism-as-viewed-by-google-trends/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 15:23:47 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=22573 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/14/state-of-creationism-as-viewed-by-google-trends/feed/ 3 thenaturalhistorian.com-creation-evolution-google-trends naturalhistorian Google trends comparison of search terms "creation museum" and "creationism." Notice the July lows in searches fro creationism but spikes for the creation museum. The creation museum opened in 2007. Image credit: Google trends and TheNaturalHistorian.com Google trends for search terms "hugh ross," "ken ham" and "henry morris." Image Credit: Google Trends and TheNaturalHistorian.com Google trends for search terms " Image credit: Google Trends and TheNaturalHistorian.com Google trends comparison of search terms "evolution and creation" "creation vs evolution" and "theory of creation." Image credit: Google trends and TheNaturalHistorian.com Google Compare result from two associated words "Intelligent design" and "discovery institute". These were suggested to be related search terms by Google Compare. Image credit: Google Compare and thenaturalhistorian.com http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/13/mountains-dust-mars-answers-genesis/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/13/mountains-dust-mars-answers-genesis/#comments Mon, 13 May 2013 15:42:03 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=22441 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/13/mountains-dust-mars-answers-genesis/feed/ 2 mars-whole-planet naturalhistorian Sand dunes sculpted by wind on Mars. Yes, there is wind on Mars although the atmosphere is very thin so the size of particles that can be lifted in the air is less than on Earth. A panorama taken by the Curiosity rover. Image credit: JPL/NASA/Caltech A geological unconformity seen on Mars. This image captured by the 100mm camera on Curiosity shows a large section of Mt. Sharp. There are hundreds of layers of rock visible in this image but most interesting is the fact that they all don't lie flat. The dotted line represents the contact point of two rock units of different colors and thus probably compositions that each have layers but they are not at the same angle. Click image for MUCH larger version. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/09/human-fossil-footprints-the-fringes-creationism-ken-ham/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/09/human-fossil-footprints-the-fringes-creationism-ken-ham/#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 20:34:13 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=22053 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/09/human-fossil-footprints-the-fringes-creationism-ken-ham/feed/ 1 Human-footprint-Kenya naturalhistorian It is easy to forgot that all movements have fringe elements that can be an embarrasement to the mainstream group. Many consider creationism itself a fringe group but then make mistake of not realizing that even fringe groups have fringes themselves. The back cover of "Evolution and Human Fossil Footprints" by Aaron Judkins. Click to see large image where your can read Baugh's endorsement and Judkins description of himself. The Delk dinosaur and human footprint fossil as can be seen in the Creation Evidences Museum in Paluxy TX. Probably the most important fossil in the world should it be shown to be authentic. The fossil has supposedly been subject to rigorous examination but that hasn't even gotten "mainstream" creationist organizations to recognize its validity. This is a human fossil footprint from Ileret, Kenya. This footprint is widely accepted as an authentic footprint fossil (center) beside a foot (right) and color-contoured 3D laser scan image (left) of the print. This fossil was found in relatively young rock that is thought to have formed from a volcanic ash event after which someone walked across the new ash prior to its preservation. (Credit: Brian Richmond/George Washington University) http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/07/nh-notes-did-wind-and-dust-create-a-15000-foot-mountain-in-gale-crater/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/07/nh-notes-did-wind-and-dust-create-a-15000-foot-mountain-in-gale-crater/#comments Tue, 07 May 2013 17:41:45 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=21418 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/07/nh-notes-did-wind-and-dust-create-a-15000-foot-mountain-in-gale-crater/feed/ 1 mars-rover-landing-sequence naturalhistorian The landscape of Mars as seen by the Curiosity Rover in February 2013. Image credit: JPL/CatTech/NASA In image from Curiosity on the left and taken from satelite on the right. The distances are estimates here and my be incorrect as acknowledged by the author but it still illustrates well the diversity of landscapes on Mt. Sharp itself and just how large this mountain is. Image Credit: Distances provided by Lauri Fenton from http://cosmicdiary.org/lfenton/2012/09/03/distances-to-mt-sharp/ and original files JPL/NASA/CalTech DIRTY SNOWFALLS. Repeated deposits of dust mixed with ice or snow could have built up the giant mound in Gale Crater (and other craters with similar mounds). The process resembles that which scientists think constructed the Martian polar caps. (Image is figure 2 from the paper.) http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/04/flying-squirrels-mysterious-noises-in-my-attic-finally-explained/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/04/flying-squirrels-mysterious-noises-in-my-attic-finally-explained/#comments Sat, 04 May 2013 18:18:15 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=20754 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/04/flying-squirrels-mysterious-noises-in-my-attic-finally-explained/feed/ 0 NORTHERN-FLYING-SQUIRREL-3 naturalhistorian Now isn't that cute! Notice the large eyes which is the first hint that this is a nocturnal mammal. It isn't easy to make out but you can probably see that it has a flattened tail. This helps it to glide. Southern flying squirrel. The whitish fur covers the skin that expands to form the "wings" A flying squirrel showing off its gliding ability. Notice the flattened tail that can act like a rudder. Representatives of the squirrel family. Image credit: wikipedia http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/02/nh-notes-context-is-key-for-interpreting-large-fossil-find-in-spain/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/02/nh-notes-context-is-key-for-interpreting-large-fossil-find-in-spain/#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 00:17:35 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=20490 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/05/02/nh-notes-context-is-key-for-interpreting-large-fossil-find-in-spain/feed/ 2 Killer-cave-may-have-enticed-then-trapped-ancient-carnivores naturalhistorian A figure from the supplements of the reference in this post. This is a diagram of a possible history of this cave/pit from the time it formed to its being completely filled. A depiction of the extinct bear dog (Amphicyon). This was one of 30 or more species of members of the bear-dog family that are all extinct. Bones of bear dogs were found in the lower levels of this cave deposit. Click on image for image credit. Remains of this extinct horse, a Hipparion, were found in the cave deposits. This horse had 3 toes and was about 4-5 feet tall. http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/04/30/sweet-taste-receptor-bats-mammals/ http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/04/30/sweet-taste-receptor-bats-mammals/#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:44:16 +0000 Natural Historian http://thenaturalhistorian.com/?p=19765 ]]> http://thenaturalhistorian.com/2013/04/30/sweet-taste-receptor-bats-mammals/feed/ 0 vampire-bat naturalhistorian A cross-section of the surface of the tongue showing the pits in the tongue and the taste buds embedded in the walls of the pits. A diagram of a typical mammalian taste bud. This relationship tree shows the genetic similarity of different types of bats. Insect eaters are in gold, fruit bats in blue and the vampire bats are shaded red. To the right the green circles represent genes that are functional for the sweet taste gene. The red circles with a hash mark represent genes that are present but have mutations rendering them non-functional. Black circles mean no preliminary evidence of functional genes. The left hand column is for the bitter taste receptor gene. This is a figure from the Zhao et al 2011 paper from the references.