The Washington times., 1923-02-28
FIND IS
NOT BLOW At
EVOLUT |QN
Patagonian~ Discovery, 3,Ooo,-
900 Years Old, Not in Con-
fIict With Darwin.
BY WILLIAM RANDORF.
(Copyright, 1898. bye Cosmopolitan New
Service.)

copyright. 1898. bya Cosmopolitan News
Service.)
NEW YORK, Feb. 2S.-A fossil.
lied human skull, at least 5000. 900
years old, found IN Patagonia!
That was the new scientific fact
which eminent paleontologists, an
thropologists and anatomists today
had to adjust to their preconceived
and accepted theories on the origin
and development OF man.
The discovery raised such ques.
tons as:
How does the discovery affect
the Darwinian theory of evolution?
How long has man been on
earth?
Was he a fish which progressed
into an ape type?
Were there apes 100000 years
ago?
Two of Americas most eminent
paleontologists-m who study the
history naturally written in stones
gonian discovery.
sistant professor of paleontology at
Columbia University and curator Of
the department of comparative
anatomy at the American museum
of natural history, said today the
Patagonian find cannot be used to
smash the Darwinian theory Of
evolution. The Darwinian theory
heretofore did not take into con.
sideration that man existed 100000
years ago.
No Effect On Theory.
Prof. Henry Fairfield Osborne,
-
of Natural History and one OF the
foremost authorities on the origin
Of man, said the Patagonian dis.
covery confirmed his belief that man
originated farther back than SOC. 900
years--the date heretofore given the
oldest human relic or fossil. The
jaw OF the Heidelberg man." found
in Germany in 1907, IL said by
scientists to be- only 100000 years
old. belonging to the glacial period
The lava woman" fossil. hereto
fore called missing link" Is said
to be 100000 years old.
How does the Patagonian skull
affect the Darwian theory" Prof
Gregory was asked.
The theory of mans evolution
from the lower primates does not
rest on fossiIized remains pri.
| based on the general foundation OF
| the evolutionary theory--the amaz
ing correspondences in anatomical
structure and physiological func'
| TONS"
DR.. Gregory said the Pataaosian
find, il proven to be of thes Ter.
| tiary geological pertod--an epoch
estimated to have existed from
100000 to 100000 years ago
would be scientifically important
bat not epoch making.
"Ths main dispute among scien,
lists" he explained, has not been
whether man existed in the Ter.
tiary age, but whether his origin
should be placed in Oligocene or
Miocene periods which are parts OF
the Tertiary age"
= Saw Continents Made.
The Oligocene and Miocene
periods comprise the time when
the earth was wracked from Pole
to Pole-mountain ranges were
raised-the Himlayas, the Caucasus
and other gigantic rock formations
heaved up. Thus man If he lived
in that day; as indicated by the
making Of continents. But whether
a caliber 70 grasp what was going
on, is open to conjecture, 1t is
held.
In the two periods mentioned
mammals definitely displaced rep
tiles as possessors Of the earth and
man in his early state-perhaps
Adam and Eve-were among the
mammals then created.
The periods comprised an era
millions of years before the quar-
ternary age, which includes the
Pleistocene, the recent and human
age.
Professor Osborn, not startled b!
the Patagonian find, explained tina
he has long held that far back il
the Tertiary period of the Cenozois
age, when the present Polar region
of the earth were torrid, "the frs
man" fashioned rude flint instru
\ ments for himself as he challenged
domination of the huge monster
which roamed the world.
/ He believes the origin of mai
dates back much further thar
SOC, 900 years.
Needs to Be Studied.
I'VE have only the preliminar.
facts of the Wolf discovery" Pro
lessor Osborn said. 1.-THE skull ant
the claim it belongs to the Tertiar!
age must be carefully studied, To-
its whole interest depends whether