Several authors have noted that the small spinal canal found in the
Nariokotome boy, an erectus skeleton was rather narrow, implying that
language ability had not evolved yet. Stringer and McKie state:
"To judge from his skeleton, the Nariokotome boy's body shape and size was
very similar to that of modern East Africans--tall, long-legged, and
narrow-hipped, giving a large skin surface area to assist heaat loss in a
hot, dry climate by radiation and sweating. Estimates suggest he was about 5
ft. 3 in. tall at death, quite impressive for an eleven-year-old, and
implying an equally impressive 6 ft. 1 in. for his adult height. Far from
being brutish and short, our predecessor was tall and elegant. He also
appears to have been well-fed, as far as we can determine from his sturyd
skeleton. The boy was about 78 lb. at death, and wouldhave weighted in at
nearly 154 lb. if he had made it to adulthood. His spinal column shows most
of the features of a spine of today, but he had an extra lumbar (lower back)
vertebra. The shape of the vertebral canal that carries the spinal cord
downwards from the brain is distinctive in the way it narrows in the region
of the rib cage. This indicates a relative lack of both additional gray
matter and enlarged spinal nerves in that region of the spinal column. The
Nariokotome boy may have lacked these features because he did not have such
good control of his lower trunk or rib cage muscles as modern humans and may
therefore not have acquired the very fine breathing control which we employ,
quite unconsciously, in everyday speech. language, as we understand the
term, had probably not yet fully evolved." ~ Chris Stringer and Robin McKie,
African Exodus, (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1997), p. 39-40
A recent study about to be given at an upcoming paleoanthropology conference
gives a different perspective:
Axial dysplasia in Homo erectus
Bruce Latimer1 and James C. Ohman2
1Department of Physical Anthropology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History,
Wade Oval, University Circle Cleveland, OH 44106 and Department of Anatomy,
School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106,
U.S.A.
2School of Biological & Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University,
Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, U.K.
The remarkably complete 1.53 Ma juvenile skeleton of Homo erectus (KNM-WT
15000) from West Turkana, Kenya, presents a rare glimpse into the biology of
this early human ancestor. Species wide inferences may be compromised,
however, because of the presence of significant abnormalities in this
individual's axial skeleton. These include diminutive and platyspondylic
vertebrae, condylus tertius, kyphoscoliosis, pelvic and vertebral
asymmetries, rib distortions, clavicular asymmetries, and spina bifida.
Together these suggest a differential diagnosis of some form of dysplasia in
KNM-WT 15000. Given the extent of these axial abnormalities it is not
surprising that this specimen also suffered from the associated condition of
abnormal neural canal stenosis. Some of these abnormalities are acquired
(e.g., kyphoscoliosis and its associated rib distortions and clavicular
asymmetries), but others are more likely congenital in origin. Thus, while
an unequivocal diagnosis is not possible, these pathological changes are
consistent with an axial dysplasia making this the earliest such condition
presently known. In view of these observations, suggestions regarding the
biology and behavior of H. erectus that are founded upon the morphology of
the axial skeleton must be carefully reexamined in light of the described
pathology.
Thus the problem may be due to birth abnormalities.
glenn
see http://www.glenn.morton.btinternet.co.uk/dmd.htm
for lots of creation/evolution information
anthropology/geology/paleontology/theology\
personal stories of struggle
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