http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1927200-1,00.html

Great story well worth the read can't wait to read other storys about it.

Everytime I read something like this I'm just awestruck by the vastness of it all. What's a few hundred million years in the whole history of the universe? Why then, are we obligated to act morally? What's the significance of anything we do only to have it all go up in a big huge blaze?

This is our future

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Interesting article indeed. And two good posts in one thread. Commendations.

- Peter.

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1984 123 200
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I think that is why people have religion and children. Since their bodies cannot live forever, they find some other way to keep what they have going for all eternity.

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Love, ski, ride, eat, paddle, F**k What more do you need man! You can't do those things without being moral.

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Very interesting. They seem to be drawing pretty far reaching conclusions from a little bit of evidence. The smaller canine teeth implying that males have become cooperative instead of competitive? Is there an alternative explanation? Could Ari have figured out how to fight without biting? Would bipedality have allowed more punching instead of biting?

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1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Religion is a part of the evolution: to keep the pack together and stand united against outsiders that could harm the tribe.

At least that's my explanation for religion...

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My take on religion is that we are not always infallible or all knowing. This was even worse in the early years. Remember, they didn't have CSI to detect all the crimes. Even when we know who it was (Think OJ), sometimes the criminal gets away because of a technicality or just beyond our reach. As such, sometimes, perps get away with crimes. So, what to do? Well, to sedate them all, we tell them that there is somebody to punish the perps. Just not in this life. Also, it is pretty handy to assure you that if you screw up, you will pay for it NO LESS than once. Even if you escape man's justice, you will pay for it in the next world. The next life has no "Double Jeopardy" rules so you might even end up paying for a crime TWICE. Remember the X'mas Carol Santa Clause Is Coming to Town? Either he is "The Punisher Lite" or a stalker.


You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town

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04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

I see your point, but we are talking about two different aspects of religion. You are, if I'm correct talking about the usage of religion by men to keep other people in check. I'm revering to religion that's part of our existence, a part of us as human-beings. I see religion as a tool for us humans, developed by our brains (evolution) to survive. Like I said before a tool to keep the pack together. When we all believe in the same "God" we as a tribe believing in the same God can live in harmony and peace. Humans feel at ease if they have a common interest and are less likely to harm each other that way. That's why the world is divided in separate religions and religions are so keen on expending, dominating the other tribe, the stronger tribe will survive. Our brains triggers religion, that's how amazing the human animal is.
In places like Europe where tribes are disapearing (united Europe) Cristian religion is slowly vanishing, there is no need for it anymore (evolution). I would not be surprised if it would come back when other religions are becoming a more dominating factor.

Evolution.

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Lovely rendition by an artist. Show me the bones.

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Lots more, just do a search. Many of the sites are not in English though.

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- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

Cummon! Those things are immoral because they're too much fun!

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

You raise some good points, and I'm no expert, but the scientists don't seem to soley use hunting/combat prowess as an explanation for the teeth. As they note, females were likely attracted to males with bigger teeth because at some point these males could better provide food and protection.

In any species where physically expressed traits factor into overall attractiveness, it takes far longer for these traits to no longer be seen as attractive than it does for them to no longer be effective. In short, genetically desirable traits often have a vestigial nature; they remain desirable in a mate long after they've ceased to actually be useful in terms of utility.

So, even if you are correct and "Ari" did gradually adapt to a more human hunting/fighting style, the ladies would have still seen big teeth as hot stuff. The fact, then, that tooth size continued to shrink at least fairly positively indicates competitiveness slowed, or else Ari's with the most desirable tooth size would have propagated at the highest rate.

This is borne out clearly in the case of the Sabretooth tiger- females found long teeth so attractive and males were so fiercely competitive that they bred to a point where their teeth actually became too large to useful. The "desirable" trait was literally killing their species, but the chicks still dug it. So, one of the most majestic species on earth died out so women could get what they wanted