“Fossil Men” recounts the discovery of Ardipithecus ramidus, the oldest hominid skeleton at the time of writing, dating back 4.4 million years. If you are interested in popular works on paleoanthropology or physical anthropology and have found publications like “Origins Reconsidered” by Roger Lewin and Richard Leakey fascinating, this book is definitely for you.
2. “Fossil Men” Synopsis
The central themes of the book are summarized in the table below:
The book runs three stories, sometimes in parallel, other times in sequence, interlocking from one chapter to another. These storylines are:
Tim White and Fossil Huntingin Ethiopia
Patterson dedicates a large portion of the story to the biography of Tim White, the discoverer of Ardipithecus ramidus, and his fossil-hunting expeditions in the Afar region in Ethiopia. The book’s title, “Fossil Men”, seems to be interpreted more accurately as referencing the people involved in the expedition rather than the ancient skeletons they uncovered.
Academic and field experts Owen Lovejoy, Berhane Asfaw, Gen Suwa, Donald Johansson, the Leakey family, and many others have also been involved in the discussion, brought alive in the text by Patterson’s unique story-telling capabilities.
Patterson has also chosen to dedicate a few chapters to Ethiopia and the state of fossil expeditions in that country during the political turmoils of the 1980s and 1990s.
Ardipithecus ramidus and Human Origins
The discovery of a 4.4 million-year-old skeleton of a hominid is significant, mostly because it is 1 million years older than Lucy, who, at that time, was the oldest known species in the human side of the family tree.
Ardipithecus ramidus tested current theories of human origins. Were our ancestors arboreal, or did they dwell in grasslands? How and why did bipedalism evolve? Was there one or more species of hominids in existence at one time? Are studies of modern great apes relevant to human origins, as has been assumed for many decades, or was the common ancestor more monkey-like than chimp-like? How human was Ardipithecus ramidus?
The final chapters in the book are dedicated to Ardipithecus ramidus‘ anatomy and how it helps us answer the questions above. One chapter is dedicated to Ardipithecus ramidus‘ skull, spine, foot, and pelvis. Patterson brings the anatomical analysis of the sparse remains of a 4.4 million-year-old skeleton to life in a unique way.
Paleoanthropology in Academia
After reading “Fossil Men,” it seems that Paterson could not have avoided discussing the state of academia in the 1980s and 1990s about human origins and evolution theories, fieldwork vs. lab work, and the endless feuds between the expedition leaders. Patterson probably realized that any story that did not mention these social factors would have been dry and incomplete.
Science evolves by replacing one paradigm with a newer one (see The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by Thomas Kuhn), with the successor almost always enjoying more explanatory power of natural phenomena than its predecessor. Patterson weaves the old stories with the new, showing how Ardipithecus ramidus slowly but surely dislodged older theories. Two fascinating theories are A) the shared ancestor was more ancient monkeys than modern apes, and B) the human tree is not a tree but a bush where branches separate, rejoin, and terminate.
3. What I Liked About “Fossil Men”
Genomic scientists began to speak of human ancestors not as branches in a tree or bush but as a “metapopulation” —a web of groups that separated long enough to become biologically distinct but remained close enough to mate when they came back in contact.
— Fossil Men, by Kermit Patterson
Authority:
Kermit Patterson has spent a decade researching and writing “Fossil Men”. The book is well-researched, with generous references and rich, first-hand information.
Originality:
There are many popular sciencebooks on Human Origins. Some, like “Origins Reconsidered“, contain much more science material. However, the originality of “Fossil Men” resides in its detailed examination of the Ardipithecus ramidus skeleton and its diligent review of Tim White’s expeditions.
Writing style:
Patterson’s narration style is beautiful, flowing, and easy to assimilate. The author brings the characters to life through the details of their personalities, modes of thinking, and relationships with their peers.
Accessibility:
The book is highly accessible, with little technical jargon, difficult concepts, or tedious discussions.
Up-to-date Science:
Published in 2020, “Fossil Men” is a recent work that combines the latest information in physical anthropology, molecular biology, and the history of fossil discovery.
4. What Could Have Been Better in “Fossil Men”
Conciseness:
Some chapters, especially those about the political situation in Ethiopia, have (minimal) repetition. I found expansions on that topic somehow irrelevant to the main story; I ended up skipping one or two chapters.
Depth and Breadth:
“Fossil Men” falls short of “Origins Reconsidered” regarding science material. It is heavily focused on three main themes: fossil hunting, Ardipithecus ramidus, the evolution of the theories of human evolution, and the people involved from academia.
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