DAMASCUS, Syria, Sept. 14, 2008

Million-Year-Old Camel Bone Found In Syria

Archaeologists Who Discovered Giant Camel Bones Last Year Uncover A Tiny Species Believed To Be The Oldest Known

(AP)  Archaeologists have unearthed a camel jawbone in Syria that might belong to an undiscovered tiny species of the desert-cruising animal and - at a million years old - be the oldest camel remains ever found.

The jawbone was uncovered last month near the village of Khowm in the Palmyra region, about 150 miles northeast of the capital, Damascus, said Heba al-Sakhel, one of the leaders of the team of Syrian and Swiss archaeologists.

Last year, the same mission discovered the bones of a giant camel in Syria dating back 100,000 years. That animal, dubbed the "Syrian Camel" by its discoverers, stood between three and four meters tall - about twice the size of latter-day camels and the height at the shoulder of many African elephants.

The new find, along with the remains of the giant camel, could offer important clues about the animal's evolution, the researchers said.

Quote

Until now, the evolution of camels has been absolutely unknown in the world.

Archaeologist, Jean-Marie Le Tensorer
"It is a very important discovery," said Jean-Marie Le Tensorer, who leads the Swiss side of the team. He said it is the oldest camel bone to be unearthed in the Middle East and probably worldwide.

He added in an interview Saturday that the camel appears to be very small and could be a new species but more studies were needed to confirm that.

"The camel is very small in comparison with the normal camel," he said. "But we have to find more bones, different remains, before we can be sure it is a new species."

Le Tensorer said the find also confirms that the origin of the camel is the Arabian desert, from which it migrated to other parts of the world.

Le Tensorer says all these discoveries contribute to understanding the evolution of dromedaries and other members of the camel family.

"Until now, the evolution of camels has been absolutely unknown in the world," Le Tensorer said. "In central Syria, we have several sites with a long stratigraphic sequence - about 1 million years. We can see the evolution of these animals."

He said the team is searching for more camel remains.

Al-Sakhel, who is also head of the Syrian National Museum, said the site is an archaeological treasure trove and contains many layers that are the oldest of the prehistoric era in Syria.

© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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by kuei12 September 17, 2008 9:07 PM EDT
"God provides the materials in nature for medical personnel to help others. This has been going on since the beginning of time."

You mean like the syringe tree? It also helps heroin dealers.
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by ibzjem September 16, 2008 8:23 PM EDT
The Bible gives reference to gobs of medical needs. God provides the materials in nature for medical personnel to help others. This has been going on since the beginning of time.

Posted by StopSocialis at 03:17 PM : Sep 16, 2008

I agree people have been researching natural materials for centuries in an effort to help others. I.e. scientific research. It''s an ongoing endeavor. The bible doesn''t say anything about how to cure cancer or even freeze a wart off your hand.
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by ibzjem September 16, 2008 8:17 PM EDT
I said DARWINISM, not "all" of science.

Posted by StopSocialis at 03:15 PM : Sep 16, 2008

Evolution is intimately tied to Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Astronomy, Cosmology, Archeology, Genetics, Molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, botany, ecology, paleontology, physics, mathematics... need I go on. All branches of science rely on principles that are used to research items involving evolution and/or the age of the earth. You can try to put science in a box to meet the creationist definition, but that is naive.
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by usclimey September 16, 2008 7:24 PM EDT
Posted by StopSocialis

You''ve got to be singinrick. I''ve had all these arguments with you before. I''ve actually even given you some credit for sticking to your guns in the face of overwhelming evidence. No I agree you''re not as dumb as a rock on this score - politics yes, but not evolution/creationism. Just provided it never shows up in a school that my kid goes to, and you realize that your kids will never get anywhere in science, you believe your story and I''ll believe my science and we''ll agree to differ.
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by usclimey September 16, 2008 7:19 PM EDT
Dumb Rock???? Arent you dummy liberals the one''''s that said that intelligence started from 2 rocks exploding together?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. You dork....

Posted by GCSJOY

No, we''re the pond scum people. Rocks are still dumb.
Reply to this comment
by thinkharder- September 16, 2008 6:48 PM EDT
Where did I say this my friend? Did I say "all of science?" Of course not. So as usual, you evolutionists lie to cover your case.

I said DARWINISM, not "all" of science.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by StopSocialis at 03:15 PM : Sep 16, 2008

Evolutionay biology is a scientific discipline like any other. Those who subscribe to evolution do not "believe" in it persay. We have a level of confidence in the theory proportional to the amount of evidence available to support it. So, your argument is not with Darwinists, but with the evidence. Please, if you would, find another explentation for the fossil record, geology, and the information stored in your own GENOME!! If you can do that succesfully, I will subscribe to biblical literalism in a hearbeat. In the meantime...I will listen to that book when appropriate, and observe the world for the story it tells to fill in the details that the bible either glosses over, or makes sound like a scary bedtime story.
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by thinkharder- September 16, 2008 6:43 PM EDT
GOD is the ENGINEER of this universe and all living things.

Without Him, nothing exists.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by StopSocialis at 03:19 PM : Sep 16, 2008

Prove it. If you can''t, you are making an assumption that you can''t reasonable expect everyone else to subscribe to.
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by gcsjoy September 16, 2008 6:23 PM EDT
Oh God you''''re one of those. No wonder talking to you is like talking to a dumb rock as I pointed out on another thread earlier.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by usclimey

Dumb Rock???? Arent you dummy liberals the one''s that said that intelligence started from 2 rocks exploding together?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. You dork....
Reply to this comment
by rf35 September 16, 2008 4:17 PM EDT
Caliengineer - how did you get to be an engineer when you must have failed every physics, chemistry, biology and geology class you ever took?

Posted by usclimey at 01:09 PM : Sep 16, 2008

A "sanitation engineer" does not require those classes.
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by usclimey September 16, 2008 4:09 PM EDT
Caliengineer - how did you get to be an engineer when you must have failed every physics, chemistry, biology and geology class you ever took?
Reply to this comment
by usclimey September 16, 2008 4:05 PM EDT
Darwin''''s fairy tale version of the history of this earth and our universe has corrupted so many minds in the past 150 years, that the devil is dancing for joy with his master deception, Darwinian evolution!

Posted by StopSocialis

Oh God you''re one of those. No wonder talking to you is like talking to a dumb rock as I pointed out on another thread earlier.
Reply to this comment
by ibzjem September 16, 2008 1:48 PM EDT
Darwinism is about suiting the needs of those who do not want to be held accountable to their Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ, The God of All Creation and Lord of all.

Posted by StopSocialis at 01:37 AM : Sep 16, 2008

This is false. You can''t tell me that ALL of science is a ruse to disprove the existence of GOD. Science is researched and discovered to explain what is happening in the natural world. God is supernatural and can not be defined or tested by any natural method. There is no definitive connection between science and God.

BTW, I do believe in God and that he has a place in the human heart. However, I do not believe the bible is a science text book, or that it answers all we need to know about the natural world. Next time you go to the emergency room, tell the doctors on staff not to resort to their years of training in biology and chemistry, but to consult the bible for your medical needs.
Reply to this comment
by ibzjem September 16, 2008 1:43 PM EDT
Indeed Darwinists are definitely religious nutjobs. Their blind faith in believing that their ancient ancestors were apes is about as nutty as it gets.
Posted by StopSocialis at 01:40 AM : Sep 16, 2008

Evolution is not a religion. Tell me how many wars were started on the idea of Christianity, Islam, or other major world religions vs. how many were started in the name of science. I can tell you zero were started over scientific research.

Because someone believes something with zeal and devotion does not make it a religion. If so, then so it can be said that stamp collecting, baseball or any other professional sport, shopping, etc. can be called a religion as well.
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by sly_64 September 15, 2008 3:18 PM EDT
Only a child beleives in the fairy tale that is called the bible. Many many years of men twisting facts about a story/stories to suit their own needs.
Reply to this comment
by octavianfdlr September 15, 2008 2:47 PM EDT
On Sep 15, 2008, at 03:57 AM, caliengineer posted (in part):

Lyell just invented the idea of stratigraphy to, as he put it, "disprove those Christians and their Bible." Basically, a liar invented the entire system of millions and billions of years, instead of thousands.

============

Lyell was a Christian who (like some politicians today) had difficulties with the concept of biological evolution. Why slander him and attribute to him words he never said?

Did caliengineer publish this slander (a violation of one of the Ten Commandments) because he is not a Christian himself, and wishes to slander all Christians in this manner?

Face it: if Lyell was wrong about stratigraphy, his mistake can be proven by science; there is no need for slanderous personal attacks.
Reply to this comment
by jn122736 September 15, 2008 2:42 PM EDT

In denial of the accuracy of carbon dating, caliengineer said:

%u2018%u2019The only absolutely verified systems, such as tree rings, go back thousands, not millions of years.

Only a follower and an incompetent believes in Evolution and millions & billions of years.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is common knowledge that annual tree rings cease to be added upon the death of the tree.

The preserved remains of a 4000-year-old tree, found a million years after it had died, would still appear to be only 4,000 years old, if dated by the tree ring method, instead of the true age of 1,004,000 years.

BTW, both strata and tree rings are layers that are added/dated on a time line basis.

ANNUAL rings are added HORIZONTALLY to the trunk portion of the tree while strata layers are added VERTICALLY to the surface of the earth (as witnessed by the consistent discoveries of prehistoric skeletons, and so many, buried, ancient cities).

If carbon dating were only an artifice created to disprove the bible, I seriously doubt that it would be so consistent with other scientific methods which have given us the technology we enjoy today
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by superdem September 15, 2008 2:08 PM EDT
Someone should ask Ms. Palin how old the earth is. I''d like to hear the answer in her own words. It wouldn''t maker any difference, her supporters don''t care at all, but still I''d like to hear it. Does John McCain believe in evolution ? He must, his positions on every issue certainly have evolved.
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by rktsci3127 September 15, 2008 11:22 AM EDT
I wonder when people first started smoking them.
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by adasher1 September 15, 2008 11:01 AM EDT
Then Samson said, "With a jawbone from a donkey, I''ve made two piles of them. With a jawbone from a donkey, I''ve killed a thousand men."

Just think, this Jawbone of a Camel could have killed MILLIONS, praise god....
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by rafterman1 September 15, 2008 9:04 AM EDT
I love it when a religious nutjob tries to use science to disprove science. LOL.
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