I wonder. I am a bit leery of over arching theories. Divisions into historic periods is not fixed. Even in evolution, selecting which shared derived characteristics are significant in determining one species from another are subject to change. I spent some time working in Vertebrate Paleontology helping curate a collection of antelope. T…
I wonder. I am a bit leery of over arching theories. Divisions into historic periods is not fixed. Even in evolution, selecting which shared derived characteristics are significant in determining one species from another are subject to change. I spent some time working in Vertebrate Paleontology helping curate a collection of antelope. There were two species, samples of one existed only of small right antlers and samples of the other only of large left antlers. Then a skull was found with both antlers intact. The animal was not symmetrical - but scientists were so convinced of bilateral symmetry they had overlooked the unlikelihood of finding only right or only left antlers and they lacked the imagination to see beyond their bias.
I wonder. I am a bit leery of over arching theories. Divisions into historic periods is not fixed. Even in evolution, selecting which shared derived characteristics are significant in determining one species from another are subject to change. I spent some time working in Vertebrate Paleontology helping curate a collection of antelope. There were two species, samples of one existed only of small right antlers and samples of the other only of large left antlers. Then a skull was found with both antlers intact. The animal was not symmetrical - but scientists were so convinced of bilateral symmetry they had overlooked the unlikelihood of finding only right or only left antlers and they lacked the imagination to see beyond their bias.