Why are only ancestors of humans shown as proof of Evolution in the fossil record?

Question

Whenever I see any kind of documentation on Evolution regarding the fossil record, I only see the ancestry of humans. What about all the other millions of species out there? This is a serious question. Insults will be flagged.

Answer 1

If you're looking within the scope of anthropology, you will only find evidence of human evolution.  Anthropology is the study of man, not animals.

Look more towards the biological sciences and you'll find fossil evidence for other species.

Answer 2

we are mostly interested in ourselves and our ancestors.  You can find the ancestors of horses, dogs, tigers etc if you search for it.  But these seldom make big news.

Also it seems our ancestors finished off most of the above "ape" beings before they could even get a chance to exist.  Apes were not threatening to human species.  Anything above the intelligence of apes were.  So our ancestors finsihed off all intelligent species other than homo spaiens before they could become a big colony of significant existance.

Answer 3

I'm not sure what you;re reading, but many animals are used: horses, whales, giraffes, other primates, insects, etc...

Answer 4

Huh?

If you've only read documentation of HUMAN evolution, then all you'll see is documtation of human evolution.

Why you think that there's no evidence in all the rest of the fossil record (or in the other evidence for evolution) I don't know.

Here are two web sites that deal with evolution in general:

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life...

You'll find all sorts of documentation of evolution of other species. Just don't go to the parts of the sites specifically addressing human evolution.

Answer 5

The Discovery channel often has shows on the death of the dinosaurs and the corresponding rise of mammals. The evolution of the horse and elephant are well documented.

As has been said, anthropology's focus is on humans. Research paleontology.

Answer 6

You are not looking hard enough.

http://www.talkorigins.org

http://www.actionbioscience.org ( click on evolution )

http://evolution.berkeley.edu

Answer 7

You're right, the case for evolution can be shown by examining any number of species. However, when someone argues in favor of evolution they are usually opposed by Creationists. Since the evolution of Man is the central issue of that religious debate, that's what tends to get the attention.

Answer 8

They aren't.  It's just the part that gets the fundies jumping up and down the most, so the most effort goes in to explaining that part.

Actually there are much easier illustrations. House pets or horses.

Answer 9

Look up the evolution and fossil record of horses, it is much more complete than the evolution of humans.

The evolution of humans is more controversial, and hence more prominent, because it comes into conflict with religion.

.

Answer 10

There are overrepresented arguments concerning human evolution because some think humans are separate from animals and didn't evolve from them.

Answer 11

Hi,

I think it is on marketability to a degree (in the case of documentaries).

I also think that tracking evolution through a species is very difficult, time consuming and very expensive.

The need to know about us is the main one at the moment.

Just an opinion