The Bone Readers: Science and Politics in Human Origins Research

by Tuniz,Claudio

• ISBN13: 9781598744750
• ISBN10: 1598744755
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2009-09-15
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

We are all descended from a single woman whose descendants left Africa 70,000 years ago and populated the planet. Or are we? The Eve Hypothesis, a dogma among researchers in human origins for the past two decades, is coming under increasing challenge by a new generation of Bone Readers. This group of scholars study the earliest human remains, their chemistry and DNA, their extinct floral and faunal contemporaries, and the geologic layers in which they were found. Focusing on anomalous discoveries in Australia, the Pacific islands, and the Americas, these scholars are challenging the reigning hypothesis of modern human origins. Other hypotheses--about "hobbits," Neanderthals, and the Bering Straits--are equally under scrutiny. Two leading Bone Readers and a science writer have penned a literate, authoritative summary of the current questions and the minefield of academic politics that surround questioning anthropology's most cherished paradigms. Ideal for students in human origins or biological anthropology courses, and a delightful read.

Author Biography

Claudio Tuniz is is Assistant Director of Unesco's International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy. Richard Gillespie has research positions at Oxford University, the University of Arizona, and the Australian National University. Cheryl Jones is a noted science journalist.

Table of Contents

Junette	p. 1
Landfall	p. 5
Timelords and god-scientists	p. 7
Heat and light	p. 17
Mungo Lady gets date	p. 27
Stairway to heaven	p. 48
Extinction	p. 57
The melée	p. 59
Inside Geny's eggshell	p. 67
Frank the Diprotodon	p. 80
Silicon beasts	p. 95
New World order	p. 105
Blast from the past	p. 114
Bison	p. 117
Cosmic impact	p. 125
Cool science, hot politics	p. 129
Extinction science	p. 136
Origins	p. 141
Gene wars	p. 143
Roots	p. 153
Hobbit	p. 166
Neanderthal	p. 178
'Vampire' Project	p. 188
Back to country	p. 205
Epilogue	p. 218
Notes	p. 221
Bibliography	p. 225
Acknowledgements	p. 246
Index	p. 247
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