Giant Insects, Scorpions, Sharks, why not Giant Hominids?

JD Adams of Salem-News.com writes an article titled, "The Enigma of the Giants" Although, Gigantopitecus is mentioned, Adams goes beyond the familiar Giganto-theory and speaks about Giant Humans. Below is a great introduction to the article followed by a link to the whole thing.

Every form of life has had its giant stage in evolution. During the Carboniferous period, the Meganeura, resembling a dragonfly, grew to have a wingspan of 30 inches. The Pulmonoscorpius, an early scorpion, were one meter in length. A giant crocodile, the Sarcosuchus, lived during the Cretaceous period, and were 40 ft. in length and weighed over 8 tons. The Titanoboa, the largest snake that ever lived, reigned during the Paleocene epoch, and was up to 50 ft. long and 2,500 lbs in weight.

The Megalodon, an ancient shark of the Cenozioc era, was one the largest predators in vertebrate history. Lacking a complete skeleton, estimates of its size range from 67 to 82 ft. in length, and a body mass of approximately 100 tons. Then we have the Pleistocene Megafauna which included larger versions of most modern species, like the saber-tooth cat known as Smilodon populator, which weighed 1000 lbs. and had 12 in. canine teeth. These huge specimens were the result of favorable conditions such as plentiful habitat and prey, and a different mixture of atmospheric gases, at one time being 35%, oxygen, versus the 22% of today. The interaction of developing species, including ecological niches which were yet to be filled, also played a part.

So, why not giant humans? The Meganthropus, or Giant Java Man, was an inhabitant of Southeast Asia, slightly smaller than the Gigantopithecus of China, but still huge at an estimated 8 ft. in height. It's stature has been inferred from jaw and skull reconstruction. The Meganthropus skull has a double sagittal crest (running front to back along the top) which distinguishes it from the Homo erectus that some believe it is descended from. The crest is an indication of powerful jaw muscles. The actual size and lineage of Meganthropus is the subject of much debate, and it is considered a possible predecessor to Bigfoot by Cryptozoologists.

If ever there was a species worthy of the giant label, it is Gigantopithecus. Fossil remains suggest a height of 10 to 13 ft. Whether the species was a hominid or more ape-like is a point of serious contention, but it appears that mainstream anthropologists are simply fearful of disrupting the house of cards that is accepted dogma in human evolution and geologic history. The Gigantopithecus molars which have been discovered are distinctly hominid in appearance, and the brain case is actually larger than modern man.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Salem-News: The Enigma of the Giants
There Were Giants in Those Days
Cryptomundo's Post about True Giants

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Previous article by JD Adams we reviewed The Mysteries of the Pleistocene; Bigfoot, Clovis and Missing Major Fauna
The Jolly Green Giant is a Bigfoot

Thom Powell's New Book: Shady Neighbors Cover Art and Excerpt

Click on the picture to see full size

We are so proud and excited to present to you the cover art for author, Thom Powell's new book, "Shady Neighbors."

We even have an excerpt that takes place about halfway through the book. We chose this excerpt because it pairs well with the cover art, with a reference to the muddy baseball. Plus, its a great teaser for what is in store from the mind of  author, Thom Powell. Many themes from his blog and unique perspective are woven into this great narrative.

Without further ado, here is the excerpt from  author, Thom Powell's Shady Neighbors:

Sam looked at his watch. It was 4:30 a.m. He thought about calling Nick right then and there. He thought he should wait. Sam didn't even want to go back to bed and try to sleep. He didn't think he could. He got his robe from the hook on the wall in the bathroom and put it on.

"Are you thinking what I’m thinking," Sam asked.

"I think so," Nick replied. "We need to fix that grave right away. Like, today. I'm not going to sleep until we put it back like we found it."

"How soon can you get over here? I can be ready to go in an hour."

By 8:30 the two men were motoring up the road toward Squaw Meadow, bouncing on the bench seat of Nick's pick up; staring silently at the road ahead.

Nick broke the long silence. "I hate to ask what happened to you last night?"

"Nothing major," Sam replied with his usual sarcasm. "They basically made it clear that they would smash my house and my kids if I didn't put the grave back, post haste."

"They?" Nick asked.

"Three of 'em. They were waiting for me on the lawn when I ran out of the house. One of them kept saying, 'Put my grave back.' It was the scariest, most vivid dream I think I've ever had. To top it off, after my wife woke me up, 'I got up the courage to go outside. There on the front porch was this mud covered baseball. It seemed like a calling card. The dog could have left it there, I suppose, but after that nightmare, I'm not taking any chances. I don't ever want to have another night like that. How about you?"

"I kept waking up to the sound of rocks hitting my roof. Then sticks were hitting the side of the house. Every time I would go to sleep I would see this angry face saying, 'Fix my grave, fix my grave.' Then, I'd wake up and hear rocks on the roof. I'd fall asleep and hear the voice and see the angry face again. Then I'd wake up. More rocks. This went on all night. I didn't sleep more than a half hour all night. By four a.m. I knew I wasn't going to get a wink of sleep until we got up there and fixed the grave."

"Think they might be waiting for us when we get up there?" Sam wondered.

"I hadn't even thought of that," Nick confessed. He thought for a moment. "I suppose that after the night I spent, I'm willing to take that chance. I don't think I'm going to get any sleep until we fix that grave. I don't think my roof can take another night of that," Nick said a faint smile. Then he added, "I suppose if they're ready to kill us when we get there, then we won't be able to fix the grave."

With a smile, Sam said, "I suppose." Then he added, "Maybe they'll just wait until we fix it before they finish us off."

Nick managed to crack a slight smile. Then Sam asked pointedly, "By the way, do ya still think they're just some damn apes?"

We will keep you up to date when and where this book will be available for purchase. Sure we are partial, but we promise you you will turn page after page until you have read all 366 of them. It is informative, educational and over all entertaining; complete with an extremely satisfying ending.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Cryptomundo Reviews Thom's First Book, The Locals
Cliff Barackman Talks about Thom's New Book
Thom writes about his new book at ThomSquatch.com

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Thom Powell Week: Seven Tentative Conclusions
Thom Powell Week: The Contemporary Researcher
Thom Powell Week: Oregonian Guest Columnist

Ghost Hunting Theories: Patterson-Gimlin Revisited

The now-famous Patterson/Gimlin Film (PGF) is etched into the psyche of american pop-culture. It probably universally recognizable. In Bigfooting circles it is somewhat a sacred cow. Opinions we have heard in private would never be shared publicly; from those who support or dispute the film.

Fortunately, for us, we are not in the business of proving Bigfoot, or proving the value or authenticity of Bigfoot evidence. Not often anyway. Mostly we want to learn as much as we can by sharing all things Sasquatch and hopefully like cosmologist do with the universe, we can build a better "model" of Bigfoot until we discover the big guy.

So we need to hear from all voices, yesterday we posted opinions from a palaeozoologist, today I am proud to say we are sharing the opinions of a Ghost Hunter and pshycic. If you have never visited Ghost Hunting Theories you are missing out. Even how she tackles PGF, is a delight:

This film is definitely polarizing.

One thing I talk about extensively in my upcoming book “Was That a Ghost?” is taking the context into account when looking at your encounter; taking into consideration your belief system and your explanatory style when evaluating an encounter. I am going to try to do the same here with the film.

Belief: I do believe in Bigfoot, not sure if I believe in the film (partially objective)

Context: I will review the context in which the film was taken (below).

Explanatory style: In comparing the pros and cons, I will try not to interject any belief system and keep myself objective (below).

The truth is, we must judge on just this case and not anything else. You might believe in ghosts, but each hunting case has to be handled very objectively. You know you believe in ghosts, but that does not have to mean that everything that happens is ghostly. Same here. I believe in BF and that will remain whether or not this film proves to me to be authentic.

This film, in other words, will not be the only thing that makes or breaks my belief.

I thought I should step away from a strange gut feeling that it's authentic when my head says it can't be. I figured I'd break down what bugs me about the film and what intrigues me about it and play “good guy/bad guy” with it. Read the rest of Patterson-Gimlin Revisited. It is thorough and refreshing.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Patterson-Gimlin Revisited
Bigfoot: My Furry-Butted Relative

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
2010 Countdown, 10 days of Appreciation: Day 06 Whales and Ghosts