https://www.earthmagazine.org/tags/messel-pit/ Recent content in Messel Pit on EARTH Magazine Hugo en-US American Geosciences Institute. All rights reserved. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:41:58 -0500 https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/missing-link-or-major-hype/ Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:41:58 -0500 https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/missing-link-or-major-hype/ <figure class="earth-figure"> <img src="https://www.americangeosciences.org/static/earth/missing-link-or-major-hype/i-1e3-7d9-5-14.jpg" alt="Jørn Hurum, one of the scientists that announced the fossil find on Tuesday. 2009 AETN." loading="eager" decoding="async"> <figcaption>Jørn Hurum, one of the scientists that announced the fossil find on Tuesday. 2009 AETN.</figcaption> </figure> <p>A squirrel-sized primate that lived 47 million years ago in the rainforests of Europe may be the common ancestor of monkeys, apes and humans, according to scientists who announced the discovery of the &ldquo;missing link&rdquo; fossil yesterday at a press conference. The well-preserved fossil has been at the center of a whirlwind PR blitz, including <a href="http://thelink.aetnpromo.com/">a History Channel documentary</a> airing next week and <a href="http://www.revealingthelink.com/">an upcoming book</a> &mdash; yet some scientists say the bones don&rsquo;t live up to the hype.</p>