September 4, 2007
Smithsonian Says No to “Lucy”
“Lucy,” the renowned fossil skeleton of one of the world’s earliest known human ancestors, which was recovered in Hadar, Ethiopia, in 1974, recently began a six-year tour in the United States, organized by the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The fossil, however, will not go on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Paleoanthropologist Rick Potts, director of the museum’s Human Origins Program, explains why:
“From the outset, the plan to bring ‘Lucy’ to the U.S. ignored an existing international resolution signed by scientific representatives from 20 countries, including Ethiopia and the U.S. The resolution calls for museums–in fact, all scientific institutions–to support the care of early human fossils in their country of origin, and to make displays in other countries using excellent fossil replicas.
It’s especially distressing to museum professionals I’ve talked with in Africa that ‘Lucy’ has been removed from Ethiopia for six years, and that a U. S. museum has been involved in doing so. The decision to remove ‘Lucy’ from Ethiopia also goes against the professional views of Ethiopian scientists in the National Museum of Ethiopia, the institution mandated to safeguard such irreplaceable discoveries.
As a leading research institution in the study of human origins, we at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History believe it is best to support our fellow scientists and institutions that have such mandates and to listen to what our counterparts in other countries have to say.”
Above: A cast of the “Lucy” skeleton, housed in the Human Origins Laboratory, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. The cast is a replica of the original fossilized bones, and is conserved in protective foam. The head end of the skeleton (at right) includes Lucy’s nearly complete lower jaw, and the foot end (left) includes thigh, shin, and foot bones. The fossil’s field number is AL-288, and it represents the 3.2-million-year-old species Australopithecus afarensis.
(Courtesy of Rick Potts)
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It sounds to me as a pettiness amongst those institutions which are suppossed to enleigthen the rest of us.
If the fossils were to be kept under its countries’ protection why then, did it leave his place of origin. Whose responsibility do these actions befall upon? Was there some payola to get it out? Or is it cheer jealously among institutions?
Why deprive the rest of us of seeing the real thing in the first place. If the custodians are thorough enough to protect the remains from certain damage while touring our country, then, why shouldn’t the rest of the world enjoy viewing such a magnificent example? Many of us cannot afford a trip to Ethiopia to see the fossils. So what’s wrong with it to be out of the country for six or more years and then returned to its country of origin.
Please grow up or get a life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Considering it is not what they claim it is (an evolutionary step to modern man) I don’t think it should be displayed at all. I am sick of the “evolution religion” fanatics pushing their beliefs on us as if they were facts, when the truth is, this skeleton was found in several different strata and far apart in their digging, and could not have possibly been from one individual – it is just another of the made-up creatures these believers have made up to try and convince us that we are not the ultimate and special creation of the Almighty God. No wonder so many children are committing suicide in these days! They are being taught in public school that human beings are nothing special – that we are just another “animal” infesting this planet and WE are causing global problems – that we should all be dead. The truth my God teaches is that we were made in God’s image and have a responsibility and purpose on this earth. It is a travesty, this “evolution religion” they teach in the schools as fact. People are pulling their kids out of the Godless public schools in record numbers. I pulled my child out in 1987 and it was the best thing I have ever decided to do! I say, stop accepting these lies of these “evolution religion” fanatics and start making them show “proof.” Their lies will go away because they can’t show us any. Their “proof” does not exist.
I failed to read the reason behind the relunctunce to move “Lucy”, How about completing the article?
[...] It’s especially distressing to museum professionals I’ve talked with in Africa that ‘Lucy’ has been removed from Ethiopia for six years, and that a U. S. museum has been involved in doing so. The decision to remove ‘Lucy’ from Ethiopia also goes against the professional views of Ethiopian scientists in the National Museum of Ethiopia, the institution mandated to safeguard such irreplaceable discoveries.” Link [...]
Thank you for your intellectual honesty to tell the truth about Lucy. Hard core evolutionists will do anything to ‘manufacture’ evidence to present the missing links. Piltdown man, Nebraska man and all the others were proven to be man made hoaxes. If lying is good science then the whole grid collapses. The so called evidences are vanishing right before our eyes. All one has to do is view Ikons of Evolution and Unlocking The Mystery Of Life by honest scientists from Intellegent Design to see scientists who are at least honest in their approach. These include Dean Kenyon of chemical evolutionary fame.
Thank you, Ike
P.S.: The Houston Museum of Natural Science is now putting Lucy on display and is pushing her for what she has been proven not to be, our human ancestor. I have spoken to the museum and confirmed that this is what they are trying to do. I think that we should let them know how disgusting this is to honest truth seekers.
Ike
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