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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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Scientists Find Fossil of 'Mother of All Primates'

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(Newser) – Scientists have discovered a 47 million-year-old primate fossil that they believe represents the common ancestor of all later monkeys, apes, and humans, reports the Wall Street Journal. The find supports a theory that humans' ancient ape-like ancestor was an adapid, which is also believed to be linked to lemurs. The skeleton, found in Germany, of the young female adapid will be unveiled at New York City's American Museum of Natural History next week.

"This discovery brings a forgotten group into focus as a possible ancestor of higher primates," said the lead researcher.

Adapid fossils are also inked to lemurs.
Adapid fossils are also inked to lemurs.   (AP Photo/Roswell Daily Record Mark Wilson)
Scientists have long sought to track down a single common ancestor of all primates.
Scientists have long sought to track down a single common ancestor of all primates.   (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Scientists believe a 47 million-year-old fossil discovered in Germany is the skeleton of a common ancestor of all primates that followed.
Scientists believe a 47 million-year-old fossil discovered in Germany is the skeleton of a common ancestor of all primates that followed.   (AP Photo/Leena Robinson, Fort Worth Zoo)
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TerrifiedCitizen
May 15, 09 10:41 PM CDT
And this will remain the theoretical mother of all primates, to support the theory of where we came from, until we discover the next theoretical mother of all primates, to support the theory of where we came from... and so on. Reply
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sysco9
May 16, 09 5:55 PM CDT
wait...but I thought GOD made us a few thousand years ago...how can this monkey exist??? I"m so confused =( Reply
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