Whenever I see footage of apes, chimps, etc. I like to say stuff like “not a bit like humans” and “I don’t see the resemblance.”
I also like to watch Roadrunner cartoons and say “this might work” and “this one has a chance.”
birgerjohanssonsays
Animaliskt conduct: “Sex noise copmplaints are on the rise in NYC”
Akira MacKenziesays
Yes, I have: I can conclude that WE DID EVOLVE FROM FILTHY MONKEY MEN!
climateteacherjohnjsays
Saying, “we evolved from apes” is so past tense.
whheydtsays
The classic description of a topmast hand (that is, a sailor who works up on the yardarms and in the rigging of full rigged ship) is, “light as a cat, strong as a gorilla, and every tooth a marlinspike.” So the depiction of the hands “skylarking” is actually appropriate for the period.
Duncsays
Sorry, it’s almost certain that are you are descended from a creationist at some point.
No! I’m descended from Cornelius and Dr Zira, truly rational apes.
drewsays
I just tell them atheists can’t be descended from creationists. Because there are still creationists.
Checkmate!
blfsays
@8, Or, perhaps, “father”(? (as I now recall)) in Roy Lewis’ brilliant The Evolution Man.
Mr Lewis’ novel has had a number of titles over the years, and whilst not too well-known, is highly regarded. (Others and myself have suggested it multiple times at this blog.) Terry Pratchett wrote an introduction for one edition, and quoted(? paraphrased?) a knowledgeable paleoanthropologist(?) as writing to Mr Lewis, complaining about multiple “errors” in the novel, but then adding (paraphrasing from memory) “which do not matter at all! I was laughing so hard I fell off my camel on during an expedition in the Shara.”
stevewatsonsays
I can’t help noticing that Larson resorted to the canonical image of the elderly Darwin with the full white beard and bushy eyebrows. Chuck didn’t look anything like that c.1830 ;-).
Walter Solomonsays
Considering he’s looking into the sea, he should rightly conclude we evolved from fish. We’re technically still apes.
christophsays
@PZ, # 8: A planet where humans evolved from apes?!!?
unclefrogysays
when considering that we have evolved from primates while thinking of creationists my impression is “not very far from apes.”
rockwhisperersays
Eh, if you go by physical examples as shown in the cartoon, I had at least one geology professor who must have some recent mountain goat ancestry. He could scale almost vertical slopes freehand, then stand in some frighteningly precarious position and swing a rock hammer with one hand and grab a sample with the other. Then he’d gleefully scramble back down the almost-cliff and give those watching a careful explanation about how these invertebrate fossils ended up here, while we watchers were still picking our jaws up off the ground. Oh, and when I watched him do this, he was in his late 60s. I gather he’s a little more careful now that he’s in his 80s.
StevoR says
Something to do with what they fling maybe?
feralboy12 says
Whenever I see footage of apes, chimps, etc. I like to say stuff like “not a bit like humans” and “I don’t see the resemblance.”
I also like to watch Roadrunner cartoons and say “this might work” and “this one has a chance.”
birgerjohansson says
Animaliskt conduct: “Sex noise copmplaints are on the rise in NYC”
Akira MacKenzie says
Yes, I have: I can conclude that WE DID EVOLVE FROM FILTHY MONKEY MEN!
climateteacherjohnj says
Saying, “we evolved from apes” is so past tense.
whheydt says
The classic description of a topmast hand (that is, a sailor who works up on the yardarms and in the rigging of full rigged ship) is, “light as a cat, strong as a gorilla, and every tooth a marlinspike.” So the depiction of the hands “skylarking” is actually appropriate for the period.
Dunc says
Sorry, it’s almost certain that are you are descended from a creationist at some point.
PZ Myers says
No! I’m descended from Cornelius and Dr Zira, truly rational apes.
drew says
I just tell them atheists can’t be descended from creationists. Because there are still creationists.
Checkmate!
blf says
@8, Or, perhaps, “father”(? (as I now recall)) in Roy Lewis’ brilliant The Evolution Man.
Mr Lewis’ novel has had a number of titles over the years, and whilst not too well-known, is highly regarded. (Others and myself have suggested it multiple times at this blog.) Terry Pratchett wrote an introduction for one edition, and quoted(? paraphrased?) a knowledgeable paleoanthropologist(?) as writing to Mr Lewis, complaining about multiple “errors” in the novel, but then adding (paraphrasing from memory) “which do not matter at all! I was laughing so hard I fell off my camel on during an expedition in the Shara.”
stevewatson says
I can’t help noticing that Larson resorted to the canonical image of the elderly Darwin with the full white beard and bushy eyebrows. Chuck didn’t look anything like that c.1830 ;-).
Walter Solomon says
Considering he’s looking into the sea, he should rightly conclude we evolved from fish. We’re technically still apes.
christoph says
@PZ, # 8: A planet where humans evolved from apes?!!?
unclefrogy says
when considering that we have evolved from primates while thinking of creationists my impression is “not very far from apes.”
rockwhisperer says
Eh, if you go by physical examples as shown in the cartoon, I had at least one geology professor who must have some recent mountain goat ancestry. He could scale almost vertical slopes freehand, then stand in some frighteningly precarious position and swing a rock hammer with one hand and grab a sample with the other. Then he’d gleefully scramble back down the almost-cliff and give those watching a careful explanation about how these invertebrate fossils ended up here, while we watchers were still picking our jaws up off the ground. Oh, and when I watched him do this, he was in his late 60s. I gather he’s a little more careful now that he’s in his 80s.