I really enjoyed this look back at Tim White's antics in Ethiopia. He really does seem like one of the last vestiges of what you could call the "old school" explorers, archaeologists, paleontologists, and anthropologists. The story of Ardipithecus ramidus it's just wildly interesting to me. The insights in
"human" evolution from Ardi are incredibly important in understanding our origins, regardless of how one feels about Tim White or Ardi.
I also think it's good to discuss the intentions and positions of the researchers in the paleoanthropological space. Let's be honest, this isn't the consideration specific to this one field, this is a consideration across all of the sciences. When grant money, professional reputations, and years of your previous research on the line, you are less likely to entertain an alternative. And by no means am I accusing only one side or party. It's just interesting to see how all of these positions and interactions have helped drive the course of research in the field for so long.
I do have to say this was a very interesting read, and not exactly what I expected. This really did provide a welcomed insight into the team's process, and a bit what life was like on one of these teams. It really was an excellent mix of personalities, relationships, team operations, research, and the ensuing a never ending debates on how to interpret the findings. I, for instance, did not expect to walk away from this with a greater understanding of the channeling, guiding notches, and attachment points of tendons in the hands and feet of ancestor primates and humans. Findings and research like this are what help us continue developing and refining our "family shrub" by improving our understanding of probable genetic dead ends and potential ancestors.
I do hope Mr. Pattison is researching or writing another book in this field. I enjoyed his writing style just as much, if not more, than the scientific content.
I have no financial interest in his work, but the below is a link to his website where this book is available.