| Site Map | Contacts | Links | Newsletter | |
Dr. Jack Cuozzo:
Dr.
Cuozzo/Dr. Mann Debate
Westminster Theological Seminary
April 20-21, 2001
Dr. Cuozzo's Presentation
Astounding Discoveries Revealed For the First Time by Dr. Cuozzo!
Dr. Petto states, "The real "coup" of the night were several findings that Cuozzo presented from his recent trip to Swanscombe. According to his story, he picked up some random stones at the site and took them home as souvenirs. When he began cleaning them up at home, one appeared to be a mastoid process and the other appeared to be the symphyseal face of the left pubis (female, aged 45+, according to modern standards). Once he realized the import, of course, he returned the specimens to Britain ASAP, but he made casts that show that the mastoid fits into the left side of a Swanscombe cast. He told the audience that the mastoid and pubis were both left-sided, so this was probably the same individual, which N-FL analysis would determine (Alan Mann quickly corrected both these errors).
But the BIG surprise was the presented of "microcarvings" --- markings on some of the stones that, according to Cuozzo, represented birds and other animals. For scale he juxtaposed orthodontic wire (0.46 mm) which was anywhere from one-half to 1/4 the size of the markings. So, Swanscombers could see and carve at this scale without optical instruments and fine engraving tools. Ergo, earlier humans were perfected and we are degenerate --- the process is devolution, not evolution."
If there are microcarvings, there would be tools found at the sites, but there is only evidence of large cumbersome tools at Neanderthal sites (Dr. Mann). Experts need to examine these finds. I am highly skeptical of these finds which require the use of optical instruments and fine engraving tools by Neanderthals.
Cuozzo also claims there is a picture of a dinosaur next to a mammoth in a cave. The picture below does not look like a dinosaur to me. Judge for yourself.
For more information about this picture see The Secret of Bernifal. You may need to scroll down to see this article.
Jack Cuozzo has written the book Buried Alive: The Startling Truth about Neanderthal Man (Green Forest, Arkansas: Master Books. pp.349; more information at Jack Cuozzo's website). There is an excellent review of this book by Colin Groves.
The main thesis of Cuozzo's arguments is that man today has degenerated from the Neanderthal.
| Neanderthal | Modern Man |
|---|---|
| Slower growth rate | Faster growth rate |
| Later puberty | Earlier puberty |
| Later eruption of teeth | Earlier eruption of teeth |
| Teeth are larger | Teeth are smaller |
| More enamel on Teeth? | This is questionable |
I see things just the opposite! A faster growth rate means a better survival rate. Earlier puberty also means better survival and earlier reproduction. This is more like evolution than devolution. It should be noted that children with plenty of healthy food will grow faster. Children who are starving will grow slower.
When people grow older their head grows larger and the brow comes forward. Therefore, Cuozzo contends Neanderthals must be 300 years old. Dr. Mann countered with a picture of a young australopithecine child with a forward brow. Dr. Mann stated that Neanderthal teeth and bodies develop at about the same rate as we do today.
Post Debate Notes
In 1992 in Israel archaeologists discovered an infant Neanderthal that had all the anatomical features of the adult like a large forward brow, and jaw showing that these features are not due to old age as Cuozzo says. The same is true for about a dozen other Neanderthals arranging from infant to juvenile. See Hugh Ross, "Neanderthal Tot Discovery," Facts and Faith,, vol. 8. No 1 (1994), p. 4. and Christopher P. E. Zollikofer, Marcia S. Ponce de Leon, Robert D. Martin, and Peter Stuckl, "Neanderthal Computer Skulls," Nature, 375 (1995), pp. 283-285.
Swanscombe Bones
On July 25, 2001 I met with Paul Humber and he showed me the supposed bones he had taken from Swanscombe. They are small irregular lumps averaging about 2-3 inches in size. I brought with me several real fossilized bones to compare. There was a big difference between his supposed bones and my bones. He admitted there was a difference.
The supposed bones looked like chert. When I got back home I looked at my rock collection, and the chert I have looks very similar to the supposed bones he had. Chert forms as irregular lumpy nodules. Chert is made of microcrystalline silica that is very dense and hard.
My conclusion is that his supposed bones are just stones, probably chert.
X-rays
Paul showed me some x-rays taken by Jack Cuozzo of the Swanscombe mastoid bone, gravel, and a modern mastoid bone. The x-ray of the modern mastoid bone had clear hollow cavities, the gravel had none. The x-ray of the Swanscombe bone looked more like the gravel x-ray with some more dense areas. I did not see any clear hollow cavities like in the modern mastoid bone. For pictures of this bone see New remains from Swanscombe discovered by Dr. Jack Cuozzo.
Micro-carvings
Paul sent me an e-mail that he now thinks his bones are really chert, but the supposed mastoid bone of Cuozzo's is different. Probably just a different kind of chert.
Chert can form in two ways; from organic and inorganic material. Chert formed from organic material may still have fossils in it. My guess is that these micro-carvings are actually micro-fossils embedded in the chert.
Links
An introduction to the new remains found at Swanscombe by Dr. Jack Cuozzo Swanscombe page 1
Chris Stringer's response to the find Swanscombe page 2
Read Dr. Cuozzo's response to Dr. Stringer Swanscombe page 3
Comments from Chris Stringer, and his scans of the bones Swanscombe page 4
Furthur evidence that the new Swanscombe material is bone Swanscombe page 5
Talkorigns Responses
Chris Stringer responds to Jack Cuozzo
Creationist Arguments: Buried Alive
Buried Alive: The Startling Truth about Neanderthal Man
Dr. Jack Cuozzo responds to Dr. Colin Groves
Creationist Arguments: Neandertals