The latest fossil unearthed in Africa allows scientists to link together the most complete chain of human evolution so far.
The 4.2 million-year-old fossil discovered in northeastern Ethiopia helps scientists fill in the gaps of how our human ancestors made the giant leap from one phase of development to another. That's because the newest fossil was found in the region where seven other types of human-like fossils spanning nearly 6 million years and three major phases of human development were previously discovered.
``We just found the chain of evolution, the continuity through time,'' Berhane Asfaw, one of the co-authors of the study said. ``One form evolved to another. This is evidence of evolution in one place through time.''
PHOTO: AFP
Although the kind of fossil the scientists discovered is not new, its location is what helps explain the shift from one early phase of human-like development to the next, they say. All eight fossils were within an easy day's walk of each other.
Until now, scientists had individual pictures of human evolution scattered around the world. Finding everything all in one general area makes those pictures more like a short movie about evolution.
``It's like ... a home movie, but a home movie covering 6 million years,'' said study lead author Tim White, co-director of Human Evolution Research Center at the University of California at Berkeley.
Scientists believe this latest discovery will help them connect the dots of human evolution. The new fossil is from a group that is believed to have evolved into modern man at some point. Additionally, the new fossil shows a connection between an even older fossil and modern human beings. (AP)
非洲最新出土的化石讓科學家得以將人類迄今最完整的進化鍊連接起來。
這個在伊索比亞東北部被人發現的四百二十萬年前的化石，有助於科學家填補人類祖先是如何從一個階段大幅進化到下一階段的空白。這是因為這個最新化石被發現的地區，是其他七種近似人類的化石稍早被發現的所在。這七種化石的時間涵括六百萬年，跨越人類三個主要進化階段。
「我們剛剛發現了演化鏈，穿越時光的進程，」這項研究的共同作者之一伯哈尼．亞斯法說：「一種形式進化到另一種。這是一個地區跨越時間的演化證據。」
科學家表示，雖然他們所發現的化石種類並非新化石，其地理位置卻有助於解釋近似人類的動物從早期階段進化到下一階段的發展。這八種化石的發現地都在方圓一天步行的距離內。
迄今，科學家已取得散落在全世界的人類進化的個別圖像。找到了某一概括地區的所有物件，讓這些圖像看起來更像是一部進化的短片。
這項研究的主導作者提姆．懷特說：「這就像是??一部家族史電影，不過卻是橫跨六百萬年的家族史電影。」他也是加州大學柏克萊分校人類進化研究中心的副主任。
科學家相信，最新的發現將有助於他們把人類進化的進程串連起來。這個新化石是從一個群組中發現，在某方面來說，據信這個群組已進化成現代人類。此外，新化石也顯示出更古老的化石與現代人類之間的關連。 （美聯社／翻譯：賴美君）
★ Bilingual Story is a fictionalized account. 雙語故事部分內容純屬虛構。 “Any New Year’s resolutions?” he asked. Lena put her coffee down. “Yeah,” she said. “To get in shape.... round is a shape, right?” Mark chuckled. “I support this. Fully achievable. Low risk.” “Thanks,” she smiled and lovingly rubbed her round belly. “I like a resolution I can’t fail.” “Funny thing is, I was thinking about getting round too.” Lena nodded her head in approval, “You could put some meat on those skinny bones of yours.” Mark shook his head, “Not that kind of round. Wheel-of-Life round.” She raised an eyebrow.
詞法—不定詞的誤用 1. 我得記住星期五要把報告寫好。 ˇ I must remember to finish my report by Friday. χ I must remember finishing my report by Friday. 註︰remember 後面跟動名詞或不定詞表示兩種不同的概念，與 forget 相類似。 試比較下列句子： I remember meeting him somewhere.（我記得曾經在某處見過他。） I must remember to meet him at the station at six this evening. （我必須記住今晚六點得去車站接他。） He remembered turning off the light when he left the room. （他記得離開房間時曾先把燈熄了。） Remember to turn off the light when you leave the room. （記住離開房間時要把燈關了。） 2. 他提醒她做好她份內的事。 ˇ He reminded her to do her job. χ He reminded her of doing her job. 註︰remind ... of ... 後面跟動名詞，表示「使人想起做過某事」。若是「提醒某人應做某事」，應用 remind ... to do ...。試比較下列句子： He reminded me of my attending the lecture last Friday. （他讓我想起我上星期五去聽過那次演講。） He
對話 Dialogue 清清：最近天氣越來越冷，感覺很容易感冒，要不要一起去吃薑母鴨或是羊肉爐？ Qīngqing: Zuìjìn tiānqì yuèláiyuè lěng, gǎnjué hěn róngyì gǎnmào, yào bú yào yìqǐ qù chī jiāngmǔyā huòshì yángròulú? 華華：最近我覺得有點累，想吃薑母鴨，可是又怕一下子吃太補會上火。 Huáhua: Zuìjìn wǒ juéde yǒudiǎn lèi, xiǎng chī jiāngmǔyā, kěshì yòu pà yíxiàzi chī tài bǔ huì shànghuǒ. 清清：那我們去喝香菇雞湯吧，不太容易上火，喝了也會很暖和。 Qīngqing: Nà wǒmen qù hē xiānggū jītāng ba, bú tài róngyì shànghuǒ, hē le yě huì hěn nuǎnhuo. 華華：聽起來不錯！你們家平常冬天都吃什麼進補？ Huáhua: Tīng qǐlái búcuò! Nǐmen jiā píngcháng dōngtiān dōu chī shénme jìnbǔ? 清清：我家都煮麻油雞，吃完整個人手腳都會熱起來。我也很久沒喝香菇雞湯了，正好可以去打打牙祭。 Qīngqing: Wǒ jiā dōu zhǔ máyóujī, chī wán zhěnggè rén shǒujiǎo dōu huì rè qǐlái. Wǒ yě hěn jiǔ méi hē xiānggū jītāng le, zhènghǎo kěyǐ qù dǎ dǎ yájì. 華華：可是我最近在減肥，會不會吃得太補，肉又長回來了？ Huáhua: Kěshì wǒ zuìjìn zài jiǎnféi, huì bú
A: Apart from Taiwan’s A-mei, Mayday and Jolin Tsai, there are many foreign singers coming to Taiwan early this year. B: The South Korean girl group Babymonster are playing two shows at Taipei Arena starting from tonight. Who else is coming to Taiwan? A: Other artists include Australian band Air Supply, K-pop superstar Rain, boy group Super Junior, TXT, US singers Giveon and Josh Groban, and Irish boy group Westlife. B: Air Supply was the first foreign band to come to Taiwan in 1983, and they’re probably the most frequently visiting group too. A: As the year is beginning
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