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Receiving an Ancestor in the Phylogenetic Tree

Neanderthal Man, Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis: L’histoire se Répète

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Abstract

A comparison is made between the scientific receptions of three proposed new members of the hominin phylogenetic tree: the first finds of Neanderthal Man, those of Homo erectus, and those of Homo floresiensis. In each case, the leading scientists of the moment of discovery heavily debated the finds and neglected the meaning of those finds. At least it took/will take one generation before the meaning of those finds were/will be accepted.

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  1. Department of Geology, Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum Naturalis, P.O Box 9517, Leiden, RA, 2300, The Netherlands

    John de Vos

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de Vos, J. Receiving an Ancestor in the Phylogenetic Tree. J Hist Biol 42, 361–379 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10739-008-9165-9

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