Man is deemed intelligent because of his curiosity and his need to satisfy that curiosity. As such, finding himself on earth amongst a diverse number of plant and animal species but none as unique or dexterous as himself he begins to ask how he got here and ultimately, why he is here.

Beginning with Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species back in 1859, man began to deviate from the traditional concept that he came into being courtesy of a creator, a supernatural being that ruled over all things. Darwin advocated that man evolved through the years from lower animals until he became as we know him now: Homo sapiens; and the fossil records seems to bear this assertion out. Fossils indicate that humans have evolved over a period of more than 8 million years but records of human life before our time as we know it date back only until about 10,000 years ago. The fossils that have been found do not provide incontrovertible evidence as there are missing fossils or links and these gaps in the fossil record weaken the evolution theory as evolutionists cannot fully promote it as a fact. Man is not satisfied with the answers as they are and has strived for further knowledge about his origin. And here comes Ida.

Ida is the latest human evolutionary fossil to be announced to the world. Its discoverers are touting it as one of the missing links in the fossil record of man’s evolution from lower animals. This 47-million-year-old fossil was found in 1983 in Darmstadt, Germany at a location called the Messel Pit which scientists believe used to be a volcanic lake in prehistoric times. The scientists who have studied it say it is a remarkably preserved fossil with even the food the animal ate just before dying still visible. Ida is the fossil of a lemur-like animal which its finders believe comes from the period when the primate line that evolved into apes and humans separated from the line that formed less known species such as lemurs. It was held by a private collector until it was revealed to the public this week. It seems man is now one leap closer to finding out his true origin but skepticism still abounds especially from independent scientists who have not gotten a chance to study the specimen. A few questions that could be asked are:

After this fossil was bought from the private collector (who apparently was an amateur fossil hunter who did not realize its importance), why did it take two whole years before the discovery was made public?

In the two years it took to study Ida and especially just before the announcement was made why were no independent scientists allowed to verify the claims made? 

Now that it has been made public, why have no independent scientists been allowed to study the specimen?

Scientific claims like this are usually published in the appropriate media without any form of promotion or advertisements but this fossil discovery has been accompanied by a coordinated media event including a book release, film release on the study of the fossil, a website and other media deals to promote it such as an appearance on Good Morning America. Why has the discovery team chosen this route?

In all likelihood these questions will not be asked because of non-belief in the claims of the scientists that have made this apparently momentous discovery but because man as was stated at the beginning of this article is what he is because of his quest for knowledge to satisfy his curiosity.

The whole world is watching.