Friday, October 05, 2012

Some articles on Early Man and Prehistoric Life - links

At Slate.com, they are starting a new series on what makes us human. 

Two articles that are there now are:
"Groups and Gossip Drove the Evolution of Human Nature" by Eric Michael Johnson:  www.slate.com:human evolution:groups and gossip 


From the article:
"Christopher Boehm has been studying the interplay between the desires of an individual and that of the larger group for more than 40 years. Currently the director of the Jane Goodall Research Center and professor of anthropology and biological sciences at the University of Southern California, he has conducted fieldwork with both human and nonhuman primates and has published more than 60 scholarly articles and books on the problem of altruism. In his newest book, Moral Origins: The Evolution of Virtue, Altruism, and Shame, Boehm synthesizes this research to address the question of why, out of all the social primates, are humans so altruistic?"

--
"Who Mastered Fire" by L.V. Anderson:  www.slate.com:who invented fire? 

 From the article:
"There’s one problem with Wrangham’s elegant hypothesis: It’s hardly the scientific consensus. In fact, since 2009, when Wrangham explained his theory in the book Catching Fire, several archaeologists have come forward with their own, wildly divergent opinions about what is arguably the oldest intellectual property debate in the world. Who really mastered fire, in the sense of being able to create it, control it, and cook with it regularly? Was it Homo erectus, Neanderthals, or modern humans?"
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Dinosaurs

From About.com:

 For the lighter side of life:
"How to Dinosaur-Proof Your Home" by Bob Strauss:     Dinosaur Proof Home

From the article:
"Let's face it, too many people are lax when it comes to dinosaur security. How many times have you forgotten to lock the windows at night, only to wake up to find a teenaged Coelophysis trying to swallow the Cheerios box? That hole on your screen door you keep meaning to fix--how many Microraptors have to flutter through before you hoist up your overalls and get the job done? Grab your toolboxes, boys and girls, because you're about to get a crash course in dinosaur-proofing your home."

For those are interested in Prehistoric Life:
"The 10 Most Essential Dinosaur Books" by Bob Strauss:  Essential Dinosaur Books

From the article:
"Tons of dinosaur books are written for kids, but if you want the most reliable information it's best to consult literature aimed at science-minded teenagers and adults. Here's a list of the 10 most essential, and scientifically accurate, books about dinosaurs and prehistoric life."


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