Lesson plan
Missing link (human evolution)
"Missing link" is a non-scientific term that typically refers to transitional fossils. It is often used in popular science and in the media for any new transitional form. The term originated to describe the hypothetical intermediate form in the evolutionary series of anthropoid ancestors to anatomically modern humans (hominization). The term was influenced by the pre-Darwinian evolutionary theory of the Great Chain of Being and the now-outdated notion that simple organisms are more primitive than complex organisms (orthogenesis). The term "missing link" has fallen out of favor with anthropologists because it implies the evolutionary process is a linear phenomenon and that forms originate consecutively in a chain. Instead, last common ancestor is preferred since this does not have the connotation of linear evolution, as evolution is a branching process. Creationists have used the concept of a missing link to argue that evolution is not a valid theory. There is no singular missing link. The scarcity of transitional fossils can be attributed to the incompleteness of the fossil record.
Article summary
"Missing link" is a non-scientific term that typically refers to transitional fossils. It is often used in popular science and in the media for any new transitional form. The term originated to describe the hypothetical intermediate form in the evolutionary series of anthropoid ancestors to anatomically modern humans (hominization). The term was influenced by the pre-Darwinian evolutionary theory of the Great Chain of Being and the now-outdated notion that simple organisms are more primitive than complex organisms (orthogenesis). The term "missing link" has fallen out of favor with anthropologists because it implies the evolutionary process is a linear phenomenon and that forms originate consecutively in a chain. Instead, last common ancestor is preferred since this does not have the connotation of linear evolution, as evolution is a branching process. Creationists have used the concept of a missing link to argue that evolution is not a valid theory. There is no singular missing link. The scarcity of transitional fossils can be attributed to the incompleteness of the fossil record.
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.