Where to begin...
Oct. 1st, 2007 01:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ink_n_impThousand and one things I suppose I could talk about, but my mind's feeling all jumbled so I think I'll try to run through them quick. This post was going to be an update of all the important happens in the life of this Nella, but I ended up writing so much about the Stony Brook Human Evolution Symposium that I'll save the rest for another post.
Richard Leakey hosted a symposium about australopithecines over at SUNY Stony Brook on the 25th, and I give three "HUZZAH!"s that I got to go! I spend the whole day there, 9-5 pm, even took notes …I couldn't HELP myself!)
Random factoid gleaned from the symposium; So, who knew that the Taung child cranium found in the 1920's in a limestone quarry shows the same sort of damage that is inflicted by an eagle's talons? It turns out little kids are CONSTANTLY getting picked up by huge ass birds of prey, and our little australopithecine baby was no exception.
Most of the panel discussion throughout the day focused on labeling, and it's importance and controversy. How can we differentiate new species, like afarensis and africanus? Can we even bring in new genus names like Paranthropus or Kenyanthropus? What are scientists using to tell if there is a a actual genetic difference, rather than just biological diversity within a species? Or, perhaps we aren't creating ENOUGH species, and we place to much emphasis on making fossils FIT--are we only confusing ourselves by dumping everything into a few categories, which forces us to then going back and tease specimens out? After all, Richard Leakey supposed, we Homo sapiens have a knack for naming things, an almost pathological NEED to do so. He went so far as to joke it was like discovering a cup, and deciding there must mugs and glasses as well. Which meant the rest of the speakers kept up with bringing back cups and saucers into their presentations, cause if there's ONE thing a gathering of anthropologist love, it’s a bad joke that just won't die.
Also, as is Leakey's want, he ended his opening statements with an environmental message--cause what else would a man infamous for saying he rather see a dead poacher than a dead animal end with?--and ended his introduction to Australopithecus with how bad climate change is and for the love of GOD why would anyone think it's no big deal just because it's happened before? We SHOULD be terrified of climate change, and we should be doing everything in our power to prepare ourselves, and to lessen it's impact. He then snarked about where the US and other countries might be, or might NOT be some 200 years from now if things don't start changing, which resulted in thunderous applause.
I had, however, a positively surreal moment at this symposium, and during the lunch break. The absolutely surreal moment of the day, however, was not just running into Captain Linzee--my high school sailing coach and a man who could put Thomas Jefferson to shame for living his life through a haze of bong smoke*--but watching Captain Linzee speaking with Professor Harrison (from NYU) over lunch. I think it broke my brain a wee bit, seeing two bits of my world collide over chicken curry and beef with broccoli. I almost wanted to warn Prof. Harrison to run while Linzee was taking a breath (much as I like the man, he does have a frustrating ability to talk another human being to DEATH), but Prof. Harrison seemed to be holding his own.
*When I was a junior in high school--or perhaps I was a sophomore--there was a chap at my school name Doug Bland. One day![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
vengefulbuddha and I happened upon him outside--he was given a work suspension for some rule breaking or another--and we got to talking with him, cause he was an amusing and clever fellow. vengefulbuddha and I were both on the sailing team and had many a tale to tell of Captain Linzee's ability to live and reason outside of reality. To which Bland made note that that was because "Mr. Linzee lives his life through a haze of bong smoke". And considering the Captain is Jefferson only without the slaves (though, the alumni and current members of the sailing team might protest that), it is a sentiment I have often employed when discussing our third president.
Richard Leakey hosted a symposium about australopithecines over at SUNY Stony Brook on the 25th, and I give three "HUZZAH!"s that I got to go! I spend the whole day there, 9-5 pm, even took notes …I couldn't HELP myself!)
Random factoid gleaned from the symposium; So, who knew that the Taung child cranium found in the 1920's in a limestone quarry shows the same sort of damage that is inflicted by an eagle's talons? It turns out little kids are CONSTANTLY getting picked up by huge ass birds of prey, and our little australopithecine baby was no exception.
Most of the panel discussion throughout the day focused on labeling, and it's importance and controversy. How can we differentiate new species, like afarensis and africanus? Can we even bring in new genus names like Paranthropus or Kenyanthropus? What are scientists using to tell if there is a a actual genetic difference, rather than just biological diversity within a species? Or, perhaps we aren't creating ENOUGH species, and we place to much emphasis on making fossils FIT--are we only confusing ourselves by dumping everything into a few categories, which forces us to then going back and tease specimens out? After all, Richard Leakey supposed, we Homo sapiens have a knack for naming things, an almost pathological NEED to do so. He went so far as to joke it was like discovering a cup, and deciding there must mugs and glasses as well. Which meant the rest of the speakers kept up with bringing back cups and saucers into their presentations, cause if there's ONE thing a gathering of anthropologist love, it’s a bad joke that just won't die.
Also, as is Leakey's want, he ended his opening statements with an environmental message--cause what else would a man infamous for saying he rather see a dead poacher than a dead animal end with?--and ended his introduction to Australopithecus with how bad climate change is and for the love of GOD why would anyone think it's no big deal just because it's happened before? We SHOULD be terrified of climate change, and we should be doing everything in our power to prepare ourselves, and to lessen it's impact. He then snarked about where the US and other countries might be, or might NOT be some 200 years from now if things don't start changing, which resulted in thunderous applause.
I had, however, a positively surreal moment at this symposium, and during the lunch break. The absolutely surreal moment of the day, however, was not just running into Captain Linzee--my high school sailing coach and a man who could put Thomas Jefferson to shame for living his life through a haze of bong smoke*--but watching Captain Linzee speaking with Professor Harrison (from NYU) over lunch. I think it broke my brain a wee bit, seeing two bits of my world collide over chicken curry and beef with broccoli. I almost wanted to warn Prof. Harrison to run while Linzee was taking a breath (much as I like the man, he does have a frustrating ability to talk another human being to DEATH), but Prof. Harrison seemed to be holding his own.
*When I was a junior in high school--or perhaps I was a sophomore--there was a chap at my school name Doug Bland. One day
vengefulbuddha and I happened upon him outside--he was given a work suspension for some rule breaking or another--and we got to talking with him, cause he was an amusing and clever fellow. vengefulbuddha and I were both on the sailing team and had many a tale to tell of Captain Linzee's ability to live and reason outside of reality. To which Bland made note that that was because "Mr. Linzee lives his life through a haze of bong smoke". And considering the Captain is Jefferson only without the slaves (though, the alumni and current members of the sailing team might protest that), it is a sentiment I have often employed when discussing our third president.
