環(huán)球英語 — 295：Discoveries of Ancient Remains
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Hello. I’m Ruby Jones.
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And I’m Marina Santee. Welcome to Spotlight. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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The large creature moves along the sea bed. It covers much ground with its many legs. Its body is more than two metres long. Other sea creatures move quickly out of its way. Its strong claws can catch and kill in seconds. The claws belong to a giant sea scorpion.
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This could be a picture from a Hollywood film. But it is not. It is from computer images that scientists have created to show the past. The images are based on a recent scientific discovery.
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The discoverers were from Bristol University in England. They published their findings in November, 2007. A few years earlier, they were exploring a mine in Germany. They were looking for fossils - the remains of ancient plant and animal life. Fossils and rocks look very similar. But their expert eyes knew what to look for. Excitedly, one of the team uncovered a long shaped fossil. It measured forty six centimetres. The fossil was of a creature’s claw - its hand! The scientists believe this creature lived in the sea almost 400,000,000 years ago! This is long before recorded history - in pre-historic times! The scientists say that the claw is from a giant sea scorpion. This animal no longer exists, but it is related to the arthropod animal group. The arthropod group includes animals with a hard body and jointed-legs - such as spiders, crabs and insects. Scientists think that in pre-historic times such creatures were much bigger. But they do not know why. The discovery of the claw demonstrates how big these creatures really were. It is an exciting discovery for scientists. For them, fossils are a window onto the ancient world. Marina takes a closer look at the formation of fossils.
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There are different kinds of fossils. But they all begin in the same way. They begin with death. After the organism dies, other creatures feed on the fleshy part of the body. After a few weeks, only the hard parts remain - the skeleton, shell, bone, teeth. Slowly, sand and dirt cover these. The layers protect the remains from damage. After hundreds of years, the remains lie deep under the earth. At this point, the remains may decay and disappear completely. Or, they may develop into a fossil. One kind of fossil is the petrified, or ‘skeleton’ fossil.
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Deep under the earth are the hard remains of humans, plants, or animal. Over thousands of years, these remains decay. The chemicals in the remains begin to change. Water and minerals from the earth pass through them. These form rock-like minerals - calcite, iron or silica. These minerals replace the remains’ own chemicals. This process is called permineralization. It is a very slow process. Fossils formed in this way look like rock. They are stronger than bones. Some turn completely to stone. As the ground moves upwards, the fossils move to the surface. They are ready for explorers to find!
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Another kind of fossil is the mould fossil. A mould fossil is not made of the organism at all. The organism decays completely. However, it leaves a print in the rock. The mould is the shape of the earth left around the organism. Mould fossils can teach historians about the creature’s shape and size. Sometimes chemicals and substances fill the ‘mould’. Over time, these form an exact, rock-like, copy of the creature. This is called a ‘cast’ fossil.
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In 1984 scientists made one of their most exciting fossil discoveries - part of a human skeleton.
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Fossil expert Kamoya Kimeu made the discovery. He was part of a team, led by scientist Doctor Richard Leakey. The discovery was near Lake Turkana, in Northern Kenya. And so the discovery is called ‘Turkana Boy.’ Experts believe the fossils are from an eleven or twelve year old boy. Turkana Boy is the most complete human skeleton fossil in history! Fossil experts say it is around 1,500,000 years old! The Turkana Boy discovery has caused much debate since its discovery. And it came into debate again in 2007.
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Until this year, the remains lay in a protective box inside the Nairobi National Museum. However, scientists have now put the pieces together, re-creating the structure of the Turkana boy. The museum plans to have the Turkana Boy as the central part of one of its shows, or exhibitions. The exhibition is called, ‘Origins of Man’. It will include other fossils, dating back to pre-historic times. The exhibition will demonstrate how scientists believe life formed and developed over millions of years. It will show the evolutionary theory - the development of life, over time, from simple organisms into man.
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Bishop Boniface Adoya is head of the Christian Evangelical Alliance in Kenya. He opposes the exhibition’s main idea. The Bishop does not support the theory of evolution. The Christian Bible says that God created man separately from the animals - that God breathed life into man. This being so, man is a spiritual being, above God’s other creations. The Bishop represents people who believe that evolution cannot be right because it appears to differ from the Bible. He wants the exhibition to present evolutionary ideas as theory, not fact.
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Richard Leakey managed the team who discovered the Turkana Boy. He said that the aim of the exhibition is to simply show the world ancient findings. He says it is not to tell people what to believe. However, he is unwilling to present evolution as only a theory. He says Kenya has some of the best evidence supporting evolutionary history. Doctor Leakey says this is something to be proud of. He has criticised the bishop’s comments.
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The exhibition has caused fierce debate between particular Creationist Christians and Evolutionary scientists. The museum will have a hard job to ensure it keeps its aim:
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‘We believe that, overall, the study of prehistory need not threaten religious beliefs. We seek to find a middle ground to unite both science and religion.’
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Many scientists and Christians would agree! Fredrick Manthi is a research scientist at the museum. He said that he has no problem combining evolution with his Christian faith! An international movement of scientists who are Christians shares the same view. However, many religious people cannot agree with evolution. So while scientists have uncovered old findings, they have also uncovered old arguments. The debate continues.
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We would be happy to hear your opinions on this story. Have your say! Write and tell us at radio @ english . net.
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