I hope to avoid confusion... re: Neanderthal "voice box"?

Michael Plant (sisaki@bora.dacom.co.kr)
9 Jan 1997 22:06:26 GMT

Recently I posted a note thanking respondents to my posting asking for
information about the apparent recent discovery of a well preserved
Neanderthal voice box. I had read about it in some creationist literature
that I had been given. In that note I quote on of those pieces of literature
that unfortunately misrepresents a Scientific American article, a Nature article,
and an AJPA article. The writer, quoting a book by Marvin Lubenow, a creationist
"scientist" called "Bones of Contention" (not to be confused with the Roger Lewin
book of the same name), makes some incredibly inaccurate claims about the scientific
literature on human evolution. The bit that I quoted transforms reports of the discovery
of the discovery of a Neanderthal hyoid into a "remarkably well preserved Neanderthal
body includ[ing] the fossilized vocal chords and tongue".

Anyway, I just wanted to clarify that the quote is a misrepresentatio of the literature.

Sorry if I caused any confusion,

Mike

PS see the thread "Neanderthal "voice box"?" for the responses to my original question and
for the references kindly provided by a number of respondents.