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Article: Anthropology.(anthropological research methods)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- April 24, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Robust about-face
In the human evolutionary family, the so-called robust australopithecines claim the dubious honor of possessing the weirdest-looking heads. Their massive jaws extend up to about eye level. Hefty, peglike teeth at the back of their mouths give way to much smaller ones in front. A small brain case topped by a bony crest resembles an explorer's helmet perched perilously above a colossal set of choppers.
Researchers usually view the robust australopithecines as a dead-end lineage comprising three species--one in South Africa and two in East Africa--that lived between 2.7 million and 1.3 million years ago. Using a statistical method for ...