10 misconceptions about primitive people you are ashamed to believe in

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

They did not sit on a paleo diet, did not differ in enormous growth and practically did not live in caves.

1. Ancient people and dinosaurs lived side by side

This is a common humorous stereotype that is quite often reflected in popular culture - for example, in the cartoon "The Flintstones". Nevertheless, sometimes supporters of alternative history state this in all seriousness. People supposedly really lived next to dinosaurs - that's why dragons and similar creatures exist in the legends of many peoples.

Some believe that dinosaurs have been caught by humanity because they have existed on Earth for hundreds of millions of years. Others claim that the ancient reptiles became extinct quite recently - as a rule, these are supporters of the biblical chronology. And still others believe that man personally exterminated all dinosaurs and put them on cutlets, which is why they are not found in modern nature.

This is evidenced by research in the field of molecular genetics. Evolution, for example, has helped Tibetans adapt to life in the highlands - which took as many as 100 generations.

In general, if you want to see the development of mankind as a biological species, you will have to live a hundred or two thousand years. At such a time interval, external changes will be distinguishable with the naked eye.

10. Darwin at the end of his life renounced the theory of evolution

In the mass consciousness, the idea that Darwin was the first to speak about the animal origin of man was firmly entrenched. Moreover, in old age, he allegedly abandoned this heretical thought, but it was too late - the theory of evolution had already begun its journey around the world.

However, this is not at all the case. First, various theories about the evolution of living organisms appeared, Timeline of Evolutionary Thought and before Darwin - their authors were Buffon, Lamarck, Haeckel, Huxley and others. Even Leonardo da Vinci and Aristotle suggested a similar explanation of the origin of the species.

And secondly, Darwin did not deny his theory and did not accept the faith on his deathbed, as some say. This story was invented by Baptist preacher Elizabeth Hope three decades after the death of the scientist.

She told the fictional story of Darwin's denial during the worship service, and she was believed.

Hope later published her fantasies in the national Baptist magazine The Watchman-examiner and from there they spread throughout the world.

But Darwin did not renounce his theory and, although he was not a militant atheist, he was not particularly religious either. This was confirmed by his children: son Francis Darwin and daughter Henrietta Lichfield.