Do We Now Have a New Monkey for an Uncle? | The Institute for Creation Research

Do We Now Have a New Monkey for an Uncle?

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (II Corinthians 4:17)

Evolutionists have long thought that man descended from an unknown ape-like ancestor. This hypothetical "missing link" wasn't an ape in the modern sense, but if you had seen this imaginary creature coming toward you on a jungle trail, you would have called it an ape.

The idea is that modern apes and humans are cousins, having split into separate categories some 7-10 million years ago. Unfortunately, no fossil traces of the ancestor have been discovered. The best specimen on our wing of the split, dated at 3.2 million years, thus the one closest to the hypothetical missing link, is the well-known "Lucy." Officially, named Australopithecus afarensis, this 3'6" tall "ape-man" was quite like a bonobo chimpanzee, with a chimp-sized brain, long curved fingers and toes for climbing trees, a protruding face, and large molar teeth. But advocates claim she may have walked slightly more erect than other chimps, thus man's ancestor.

The March 22, 2001, issue of Nature revealed an older specimen named Kenyanthropus platyops. It was dated at 3.5 million years old, and consisted of several bones and teeth, but especially a fairly complete, although "distorted" cranium. It is this skull which mainly distinguishes it from Lucy, for the face seems flatter, with jaw protruding slightly less than other chimps, and somewhat smaller molars. Since humans have relatively flat faces and small molars, platyops, being older and more "human," knocks Lucy right out of our family tree.

This is an event of no small magnitude, for Lucy has been the darling of evolutionists since the 1970s. It was claimed that she "proved" that man came from an ape-like ancestor, and she found her way into museums, textbooks, TV specials, and kids books. Diatribes against creationist critiques of Lucy were arrogant and vicious. Losing her should hurt!

Of course, creationists have long pointed out that she, at most, was an unusual chimp-like creature, which may have walked slightly more erect than other chimps. Thus the admission printed in the USA Today (March 21) that "Lucy has been losing favor over the past 10 years" was astounding, as was the quote by Rick Potts of the Smithsonian Institute that "I and many others believe Lucy needs to be replaced." Why hasn't this skepticism over Lucy been made public? Why have experts allowed a controversial claim to brainwash millions? It seems that now that they have a better candidate, they are willing to let a poor one go.

But is platyops better? According to Meave Leakey et al. in Nature, the "distorted" skull exhibits "expansion" and "compression" subsequent to burial. Furthermore, the flatness of the face is not visible in the photographs published. The jaw protrudes noticeably, and must be only a fraction less pronounced. The teeth were small for Australopithecus, but variety is expected with such a low number of specimens.

Of primary interest is the lack of agreement on the interpretation of any particular bone or on the overall theory. The relinquishing of a favorite story in favor of one supported by questionable data should encourage those who hold that man, created in the image of God, is totally distinct from the animals.

Cite this article: John D. Morris, Ph.D. 2001. Do We Now Have a New Monkey for an Uncle?. Acts & Facts. 30 (5).

The Latest
NEWS
Marine Mammals: Designed for Deep Diving
While you’re reading this, hold your breath. What is now happening is your blood is delivering the last of oxygenated blood cells to your tissues...

CREATION PODCAST
Humanity's Demise at the Hands of Genetic Entropy | The Creation...
Welcome to the fourth episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old earth...

NEWS
''Inside-Out'' Fossil is Amazingly Preserved
It is widely known that vast numbers of fossils—vertebrate and invertebrate—have been discovered incredibly well-preserved.1,2...

NEWS
The Resurrection and the Origin of Life
At Easter time we focus on the cardinal Christian doctrine of the Resurrection. Without the Resurrection, Christianity is a sham. The truth that Jesus...

NEWS
Is an Ancient Extinct Tree-Dweller Our Relative?
Human evolution has always been hazy with seemingly as many attempted explanations for how we evolved from animals as there are paleoanthropologists. Evolutionists...

NEWS
The Return of the Dire Wolf?
There’s been much recent excitement about the birth of three dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) puppies by a Dallas-based biotech company: Colossal Bioscience....

CREATION PODCAST
Cracks in the Layers: Lake Suigetsu and the Old Earth Illusion...
Welcome to the third episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old earth...

NEWS
Fish Fossil Vomit
A rather unsavory news story recently appeared regarding fossilized vomit. Although it’s hardly dinner table conversation, it nonetheless supports...

NEWS
Dino Footprints Down Under
Dinosaur trackways1 are once again making the news. Australia is the setting of a remarkable series of dinosaur tracks attributed to ornithischian...

NEWS
April 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things...