Forensic Science

Little Foot Coexisted With Homo

The remains of the apeman, dubbed Little Foot, were discovered in a cave complex at Sterkfontein by a local South African team in 1997. Its bones preserved in sediment layers, it is the most complete hominid fossil skeleton ever found. (Photo Credit: Alf Latham and used with his permission) Redating news published today calls for a younger age for the unknown species of Australopithecus popularly called "Little Foot," or technically "Stw 573." Initially, the species had been tentatively dated to three to four million years before present, but the new findings show the small upright Australopithecus died only about 2.2 [...]

NZ Black Panther Film

Using the phrase “Black Panther” covers many felines, from the above melanistic jaguar from South America, shown here in a public domain photograph, to melanistic leopards from Africa and Asia. The term has also been used to indicate the reported cryptids from many locations, including New Zealand. A new documentary film is being made in New Zealand, which will discuss the sightings of the “Mid-Canterbury panther.” The black cat has been seen by local residents around Mayfield, Mount Somers and Ashburton, New Zealand. No indigenous melanistic or black felids are known from New Zealand. But several reports exist, including from [...]

Making Time with a Monster Hunter

Click on the above image for a full-framed view of Loren and some hidden friends. Publisher and editor David Lineal’s monthly paper The Skeleton News will hit the Chicago streets on Friday, December 1, 2006. Included in the issue is an interview with yours truly, Loren Coleman. They do not publish online, and instead maintain a humorously skeletal webpage. Because of that, David passes along his interview, and the article’s illustration (above by Chicago artist named Becca Taylor), for the readers of Cryptomundo. All the flattering but too generous (e.g. "great" and "foremost") descriptors are Mr. Lineal’s. Blush, blush. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ [...]

Biological Curiosities

Cryptozoologist Craig Heinselman of Peterborough, New Hampshire, shares a long commentary on his reaction to my recent blogs on black and white squirrels and more, which may be found by clicking here. Heinselman writes: Part of the interest as well in these “biological curiosities,” is that they can allow for correlations to perception of people to a situation, acceptance of an oddity or other sociological differences. Whereas a “Bigfoot” report (another potential “biological curiosity”) can bring forth more laughter than data. So, the curiosities are a side interest in sociological, psychological and even cultural anthropology for those reasons. Following what [...]