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Page 2 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, February 4, 1986
SCIENCE
IN BRIEF
COMPILED FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AND
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL REPORTS
Pathologists examine possible
Scientists unearth primate fossil
By ADAM CORT
:While sifting through thousands of
fossils that were found on a recent
University dig in Wyoming, scientists
identified the oldest remains of a true
primate, a distant human ancestor.
The remains, unearthed from the
Wyoming badlands, were identified
by Philip Gingerich, curator of the
University Museum of Paleantology
and anthropology professor. Con-
sisting of three small jaw segments
and eight teeth, the remains are
estimated to be around 53 million
years old and belong to a primate
called Cantius torresi.
BEFORE THIS discovery the oldest
known remains were around 52
million years old. Cantius toressi
stands as an evolutionary bridge con-
n'ecting two previously unconnected
primate families.
"You could say this is in some broad
sense the oldest ancestor of humans,"
Gingerich said.
The primate is thought to have been a
fruit eating tree-dweller that lived in
the jungles covering North America
53 million years ago. It was about the
size of a grey squirrel, weighed 2 to
2.5 pounds, and had a muzzle like a
fox, wide eyes, wooly fur and a long
tail.
GINGERICH'S DISCOVERY has
received much attention because it
represents the oldest known human
"ancestor," however, he says that it
is even more significant in what it in-
dicates about early primate develop-
ment. "It is particularly interesting
not in that it's a bit older but in what
that step back represents," says
Gingerich.
The discovery "ties together" two
previously unconnected groups of
primates-the lemurs, mainly noc-
turnal mammals confined to
Madagascar, and the tarsiers, noc-
tural mammals of Southeast Asia.
Scientists have hypothisized such a
link for some time, said Gingerich,
but this is the first concrete evidence
of the connection to date.
Cantius torresi is believed to be the
link because it bears characteristics
which are unique to each species. Its
teeth are small and relatively broad,
characteristic of the tarsier but not
found in the lemur family, and the
positions of the cusps, the points on
top of the teeth, are like those of
lemurs and not tarsiers.
THE FOSSILS WERE initially
collected by University graduate
student Victor Torres in the summer
of 1984 near the Yellowstone River in
the Wyoming badlands at a site where
Gingericl and his students have been
gathering fossils for 11 years. It took
until the end of 1984, however, to
prepare and catalog all the items
collected that summer from the
Clarks Fork basin. "Then I pulled out
the pieces and began to study them,"
Gingerich said. "I didn't realize im-
mediately what their significance
was. It took some study to figure out
what it meant."
Publication of the discovery has
been in the works since May, said
Gingerich, and his findings are being
published in this week's issue of the
journal Nature.
Gingerich has continued to serach
for Cantius torresi at his Wyoming
site since the summer of 1984;
however, he said the results have
been disappointing. "We found only
ione single tooth of this cantius last
summer on an ant hill," he said.
News and Information Service Photos
Three fossilized teeth and a
jawbone from Cantius torresi
(foreground) are compared with a
human tooth. The Cantius tooth at
the far right is comparable to the
back center human tooth. (Right)
An artist's; rendition of Cantius
torresi. The furry, wide-eyed
primate is believed to be a distant
ancestor of man. University scien-
tists recently discovered the
animal's remains in the Wyoming
badlands. It is estimated that the
primate lived there about 53
million years ago.
remains of Challenger crew
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.-Pathologists are examining human
remains recovered from the Atlantic to see if they are those of
Challenger's astronauts, sources said yesterday.
NASA said yesterday that it had recovered no shuttle debris so far from
the ocean bottom despite six days of searching with sonar and robot
submarines. Two promising "targets," the space agency said, turned out
to be the old wreckage of a helicopter and a light airplane.
That left 17 other potential targets about 15 miles offshore where
photographs and radar indicated that large objects hit the water, NASA
said.
But with the sea yielding less debris each day, officials weighed cutting
back on the search of the ocean surface. The Navy was pulling its ships
out at the end of the day yesterday, leaving the sea sweep to the Coast
Guard, which also was reviewing whether to continue.
President Reagan took the investigation of the space shuttle Challenger
explosion away from NASA yesterday and entrusted it to an independent
board "with no axe to grind."
In an executive order, Reagan directed the panel, headed by former
Secretary of State William Rogers and one-time astronaut Neil Ar-
mstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, to report its findings within
120 days.
Bomb kills 9 in East Beirut
BEIRUT, Lebanon-A powerful bomb exploded in an East Beirut office
building yesterday wrecking shops, sparking huge fires and killing nine
people in an attack linked to opposition to President Amin Gemayel.
Hours before the blast, fierce battles engulfed the Green Line battle
zone dividing Christian East Beirut from the Moslem western sector.
Christian and Moslem militiamen fought with mortars and artillery but
the fighting eased at dawn.
Police said the explosion that devastated the lobby of a 10-story
office building and wrecked nearby shops was the sixth in 24 hours and
apparently was part of a bombing campaign against Gemayel loyalists.
Nine people were killed and at least 15 wounded in the blast in an east
Beirut neighborhood, about 800 yards from the headquarters of the
Christian Phalange Party, which is loyal to Gemayel, police said.
fH.i.an president *titensremn
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti-President-for-Life Jean-Claude
Duvalier sent soldiers to two northern trouble spos yesterday and rode,
around in a bulletproof car in an effort to show that he is in control after a
week of riots.
Doctors and other sources said more than 50 people'may have been
killed in the violence.
Duvalier also met with U.S. Ambassador Clayton McManaway. The
United States is the main source of aid to his impoverished Caribbean
nation, and the amount of aid could be effected by Duvalier's human
rights record.
The army convoy was seen moving through Port-au-Prince to the
highway to Cap Haitien and Gonaives, where some of the most violent
riots occurred last week.
Journalists are prohibiuted from leaving Port-au-Prince without
govenrmeuit authorization.
Sporadic protests began Nov. 27 after security forces shot and killed
three students demonstrating in Gonaives, 100 miles north of here. The
protests intensified a week ago in Gonaives and Cap Haitien, and they
spread to Port-au-Prince for the first time Thursday night and Friday.
Aquino promises to consult:
other countries on U.S. ties
MANILA, Philippines-Presidential candidate Corazon Aquino said
yesterday that she would consult other countries in the region and "above
all" the Philippine people before signing a new treaty on the future of U.S.
military bases.
Mrs. Aquino, who is challenging President Ferdinand E. Marcos in
Friday's special election, also said election fraud could make it difficult
for her to win.
The road to Malacanang (the presidential palace) grows darker as
election day approaches," she told nearly 3,000 Filipino and foreign
businessmen at a luncheon in a suburban hotel. "Sinister plans to cheat
the people of their liberation are afoot."
Youngest candidate ever
I
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4
Gramm-Ru
(Continued from Page 1)
become "pretty sizeable" in sub-
sequent years.
"Many programs will get gutted.
There is no question about it," he said.
"Financial aid is dealt with
separately because they don't want to
take money away from students. So
they are going to change your fees in
the way specified by law."
"I think there will be modest cut-
backs," Gramlich added. "You may
have higher .interest rates and a little
more private loan-like terms, but I
wouldn't look forchanges beyond
that."
BUTTS, however, was worried
about these changes coupled with the
4.3 percent proposed cutback this
year. "The thing that concerns me is
that if you raise the interest rates, you
put more mortgage pressure on
the students,"he said. "I'm mortified
hSTRICTLY
ORIGINAL
Songwriters Expo
Thursday, Feb. 13
1986
in the U Club
9:30 p.m.
(*All interested performers*
please call 763-1107)
dman forces 4.3%
with people who dismiss the 4.3 per- passed, analysts doub
cent cut as not problematic." ministration and Cong
In recent years, the Department of it would actually do to'
Education has received heavy reduc- implemented. Some of
tions. In 1980, its budget was $14.4 as a political tool more
billion. Today, adjusting for in- law.
flation, that allotment would equal out "A lot of people who
to $22 billion, but the actual 1986 Gramm-Rudman act f
budget is $17.76 billion.Grm-u anctf
"Any way you look at it, education ning essentially said t
has made its contribution to cutting why they supported
the federal deficit," Butts said. would create, if put in
BECAUSE of the chaotic manner in tolerable situation,'
which the Gramm-Rudman bill Kingdon, chairman o
student aid cut
bt that the ad-
ress knew what
the economy if
fficials view it
than an actual
osupported the
rom the begin-
hat the reason
it was that it
to effect, an in-
said John
of the Univer-
sity's political science department.
"It forces them to come up with
something better. That something, I
assume, has to happen.
"They're going to have to try some
alternative approaches rather than
let Gramm-Rudman get triggered. I
don't think anyone in the end really
finds the Gramm-Rudman formula
acceptable in theory. The trouble is
everyone is going to play chicken
right up to the end."
I
MSA, ad'minstration work on relations
(Continued from Page1)
Josephson said controversies such
as the University's new computer fee
could have been avoided by more
communication between students and
the administration. "If they had
asked our input when they were
planning the fee, there probably
wouldn't have been a problem," he
said.
FRYE SAID last night that the
University's executive officers have
discussed relations with studentshand
part of the problem is rapid turnover
in student leaders. "Some assemblies
have asked us to speak, others
haven't. It's tricky because we can't
invite ourselves to the meetings, but
we've talked about looking out for
ways to make ourselves accessible."
Asking representatives of the
assembly to begin working with ad-
ministrators also takes some of the
workload off MSA's president, vice
president, and key committee chairs,
who are now the only channels bet-
ween the assembly and the ad-
ministration, Josephson said.
A model in improved student-
administration relations has been
MSA's Legislative Relations Commit-
tee, which has worked closely with the
University's Office of State
Relations.
WORKING with the University's
lobbyists, the committee has been
able to gain information and advice on
specific legislative bills, said Steve
Heyman, the committee's chairman.
In return, Heyman said, students
are available to testify in legislative
hearings. For example, Josephson
last summer testified before a
Congressional hearing on federal
financial aid funding.
"We just felt that we could both be
more effective if we worked together
on the issues we agreed on," Heyman
said.
Despite the improvement in
relations, Josephson warned against
becoming "complacent." At Eastern
Michigan University, he said, student
leaders who are invited to eat at the
President's house once a week have
been co-opted by the attention.
Chemistry prof researches
cures for cancer, herpes
tations.
Amidst casual L
students opened h
saying, "This is a'
you can get ju
published ..."
THE openness d
the rigorous requi
makes. "He expec
of the load," saj
graduate stude
chemistry. "He's
you - you have to
he'll steer you alon
Andy Kawasaki,
in medicinal chen
Townsend is "a ve
son, so you can e
much more from
him."
One of the fact
drew Kawasaki to
the opportunity tc
send. "It's very
USE DAILY
under someone with a good
aughter, one of the reputation," he explained, "and
us presentation by Townsend is very well known."
prime example that TOWNSEND'S visibility has also
t about anything resulted in numerous travel oppor-
tunities. Before the year is out, Town-
oes not conflict with send may end up going to meetings
rements Townsend and symposiums in Taipai, West
ts you to carry most Germany, and Japan.
yid Dave Berry, a "It's never a 40-hour week - you're
nt in medicinal looking at a 60 - 70 - 80 hour week,"
not going to teach Townsend said. 'And a lot of it is sheer
teach yourself, and drudgery."
ig the way." "I don't quite know how to explain
, a graduate student why people keep driving and doing
mistry, agrees that this," he said, finishing his coffee. "I
ery demanding per- guess it's kind of like following a vein
expect to gain that of gold, and you're looking for the
having worked for mother lode, and it doesn't always
happen. It could be the vein just
ors that originally peters out - it was just a flash in the
the University was pan. It's gone.
o work with Town- "But in most of the big discoveries
important to work you read about in the newspaper, the
drug you are reading about is the
product of many small 'eurekas' and
a lot of disappointments.
"I guess it's just the idea that you're
C LASSIFIEDS doing something different and
unique," he says. "That's quite an ac-
complishment."
wins Costa Rican election
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - Attorney Oscar Arias won the presidential
election convincingly over five opponents and now faces the problem of
meetinghis pledge to keep Costa Rica out of the wars that beset Central
America.
Many observers had predicted a close contest in Sunday's election, but
official results announced yesterday showed Arias, a pro-American
moderate, with more than half the votes cast and a wide lead over his
nearest competitor, Rafael Calderon. More than 1.1 million Costa Ricans
cast ballots.
With the votes counted from 3,510 of 6,751 voting stations, official
results showed 338,890 votes for Arias to 290,018 for Calderon.
Election officials projected a final edge of more than 100,000 for Arias,
greater than in the unofficial projection of the total that they issued
earlier yesterday. The four'other candidates, including a communist,
shared less than 2 percent of the vote.
Arias, 45, will be the youngest president in Costa Rican history when he
begins his four-year term May 8. Calderon, 37, is a former foreign
minister.
01 he MSwlpgan Bal1
Vol XCVI -No.88
The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967 X) is published Monday through
Friday during the fall and winter terms. Subscription rates: September
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to United Press International, Pacific News Service, Los Angeles Times
Syndicate, and College Press Service.
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ADVENTURE GAMES BY
Editor in Chief ............. ERIC MATTSON
Managing Editor ......... RACHEL GOTTLIEB
News Editor.............JERRY MARKON
Features Editor ........... CHRISTY RIEDEL
NEWS STAFF: Eve Becker, Melissa Birks, Laura
Bischoff, RebeccaBlumenstein, Marc Carrel, Dov
Cohen. Laura. Coughlin, Tim Daly, Nancy
Driscoll, Rob Earle, Amy Goldstein. Susan Grant,
Stephen Gregory, Steve Herz, Linda Holler, Mary
Chris Jaklevic, Philip Levy, Michael Lustig, Amy
Mindell, Caroline Muller, Kery Murakami, Jill
Oserowsky, Joe Pigott, Kurt Serbus, Martha Sevet-
son, Cheryl Wistrom, Jackie Young.
Opinion Page Editor ..........KAREN KLEIN
Associate Opinion Page Editor ... HENRY PARK
OPINION PAGE STAFF: Gayle Kirshenbaum,
Peter Ephross, David Lewis, Peter Mooney,
Susanne Skubik.
Arts Editor............... HOBEY ECHLIN
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MARK BOROWSKY, RICK KAPLAN,
ADAM MARTIN, PHIL NUSSEL.
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deFrances, Liam Flaherty, Jon Hartmann, Darren
Jasey, Christian Martin, Scott Miller, Greg
Molzon, Jerry Muth, Adam Ochis, Duane Roose,
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Steinert, Douglas Volan.
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Classified Manager. GAYLA BROCKMAN
FinancenManager.........MIKE BAUGHMAN
Marketing Manager .......... JAKE GAGNON
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The
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SCIENCE
WRITERS
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