Re: Savannah strawman

Karen (karen@uab.edu)
Wed, 10 Jul 1996 03:13:42 GMT

Mike Muller <muller@flmhh.ufl.edu> wrote:

>:Karen wrote:
>:>
>:> > I agree with you that studying morphology alone is not enough but I
>:> don't know why you have the idea that paeloanthropology hasn't
>:> evolved. I am a student also and have studied isotope analysis
>:> research in anthropology classes as well as genetic research, etc.
>:> The analysis of trace elements is an exciting field and a lot of
>:> research is being done even with all the problems such as diagenesis.
>:> Amino acid analysis is being developed that may be able to show what
>:> the body temperatures of an extinct species was. Even Devonian era
>:> fossils have been found with collagen available for analysis.
>:> Paleoanthropologists are doing this sort of work.
>:>
>:> Idon't know Tim White but I very much doubt that he relies solely on
>:> morphology for defining his fossils. Perhaps you got your idea that
>:> paleoanthropologists rely only on morphology in their studies because
>:> of pop science media which informs people with an interest in hominid
>:> evolution but wouldn't be as interested in isotopic analysis, etc.
>:> The papers haven't come out on the finds yet and when White does write
>:> up and publish his finds, I doubt seriously that you will find that
>:> deals only with morphology.
>:>
>:> Karen

>:Have you read any of the published work on A.ramidus?

Yes.

There is published
>:material on ramidus and it is ALL MORPHOLOGY. Check Nature.

I've seen it, read it.

>: As I said before I will be a Ph.D candidate next year so obviously I
>:did not get my ideas from "pop science".

I think you have made your credentials quite clear several times.

I got them from journals such
>:as Journal of Human Evoution, Science and Nature. And from other
>:professionals in the field of paleoanthropology and geochemistry and
>:paleontology.

I am glad to know that you can read.

>:And it is not the paleoanthropologists that are doing the work on amino
>:acids and collengen it is the biochemists and geochemists who are doing
>:the ground breaking work in these and other cutting edge fields.

Forensic anthropologists do this work too. Perhaps you should check
out the American Journal of Forensic Anthropology . I work with
geochemists too. Are you proposing that anthropology,
paleoanthropology is obsolete and that geochemistry and biochemistry
are "cutting edge fields" that must find the answers for the fumbling
field researchers in paleoanthropology?

You
>:obviously have had some general over view classes and not much else.

You obviously assume a great many things. It is hard for me to
believe that you conduct scientific research.

>:The bulk of the experimental work os being done by PALEONTOLOGISTS that
>:is different than paleoanthropologists. i.e. your Devonian example.

When I said that paleoanthropologists "did this" I can see how you
might have thought that I meant the Devonian work. I meant the
isotopic analysis. Sorry that was unclear. I should have said
forensic anthropologists anyway. Does that make you feel better?

I
>:myself am doing isotope analysis of Pleistocene Equus teeth and
>:Mercinaria shells to determine whether enamel carbonate can be used as a
>:quantitative archive for continental paleoclimate and if it is relaible
>:in regards to diagenesis and to determine seasonality.

I hope you are successful.

This is being done
>:in conjunction with the Vertebrate paleontology department ofthe
>:University of Florida and the geology and geochemistry departemtnt at
>:University of Michigan. NOT because I wouldn't have rather used homind
>:or primate samples but because the paleoanthropological resources and
>:researchers are not wiling to undertake this research.

Such as? Who have you contacted that wouldn't undertake this
research? Did you talk to them the way you write things to this
newsgroup?

So sweetie
>:instead of just studying about this type of research I am doing it...and
>:you need to do somemore homework on the field of paleoanthropology.

You are insulting and offensive. Your posts are full of self-
important rantings. You have dismissed credible professional
fieldworkers as obsolete morons who don't have enough sense to know
that what you are doing is far superior to anything the field of
paleoanthropology has seen. If you expect cooperation from field
researchers you will have to work on your communication skills with
humans.

You insult me by saying, "So sweetie instead of just studying about
this type of research I am doing it..." perhaps you need to do some
homework on personal issues.

I am a field researcher. Your work can't be done without the work of
people like me. If you haven't spent any time in the field, perhaps
it would be to your benefit to do so.

And when you are next at Ann Arbor, go to the museum of vertebrate
paleontology and check out the fossils there. 

--

Karen



 

>:Holly          reeser@flmnh.ufl.edu