BONC #6: Everyone's crazy about this fossil!

Here she is! They call her Ida. She's a dog-sized mammal that lived 47 million years ago, and boy is everyone excited about her. She was just introduced to the world today and already has her own huge website, her own full-length TV movie, and I'm sure someone will soon come up with an Ida dance craze, Ida sneakers or an Ida-flavored ice cream.

What's the deal?

Well, they say that Ida is our ancestor, which means she is humans' great-great-great-great (keep saying great about a zillion times) grandmother. She is an early primate, but also has some very human features, like fingernails instead of claws and a special little bone in her foot that you have too. Oh, and she's also really well preserved, with even some of her stomach contents still hanging around (so we know what she had for lunch right before she croaked.)

Because of Ida, we're now even more clear than ever on how humans -- you and me -- evolved from earlier primates. The human story just keeps getting better and better!

A real-life kid learnin' some real-life evolution!

They said it couldn't be done. They said "Aw, don't bother talking to young kids about evolution, they just can't grasp it." But aha, they were wrong! We have proof right here in the form of delightful 4-year-old Satori, answering questions from her mom Angela using the Giant Evolution Timeline. Check out her accurate and full-body understanding of the sequence of evolutionary events! Go Satori!

This video makes me weep with geeky & maternal happiness. Yes, it is true.

You can read Angela and Satori's review of the Giant Evolution Timeline and see more pictures at the Satori Smiles Blog.

PS. I don't know Angela or Satori personally. This is not a plant! Oh, and many thanks to them both for permission to use the video.

Charlie's harmonies: Songs about Darwin!

So there's this composer in Britain named David Haines who writes songs about Darwin and evolution for kids. His songs have sweet, classical melodies wrapped around topics like the Beagle's voyage or the life of a cell or evolution's wonders. He calls it a "science oratorio." At this website, you can hear some of his songs, read the words and watch huge choruses of children singing them.

I like Haines' songs and I think he deserves a very fancy medal for spreading the story of evolution to kids through music.

That said, I think there's room for lots more Darwin music! We need some funky, groovy, catchy, irresistible, parent-friendly music about evolution. Any musicians out there need a project? I've already got my eye on some of you....

Anybody live in Minneapolis/St. Paul?

I'm getting my act together and taking it to Minneapolis/St. Paul in June. I've got a table at our first-ever trade show, the American Specialty Toy Retailers Association. From what I hear, it will be a whirlwind three days of nonstop product promotion and caffeine consumption. Heck, maybe I'll even make a sale or two.

If anybody out there lives in the area, come by and say hi!

Fun cartoon of the earliest life

Ever wished that a cute, talking water molecule named Piccolina would tell you the story of the formation of our planet and the origins of life? Well, wait no further. A group of European universities have put together just such a thing, with a bunch of other evolution-related resources too. And when you're finished watching the video in English, you can watch again in French (c'est formidable!) or German (ausgezeichnet!)

Hey - A walking seal!

About 24 million years ago, which really isn't all that long ago when you think about it, there lived a seal that looked a lot like the seals we can see today. But instead of flippers this seal had four legs! Check out what he might have looked like (drawing from the Canadian Museum of Nature.)

This guy was named Puijila Darwini, which means "Darwin's young marine mammal." Yup, he was named after our very own Charlie.

Take any mammal that lives in the sea, like seals, whales and dolphins. They all evolved from other earlier animals that lived on land and had four legs. As they gradually evolved to live in the sea, their legs gradually disappeared. This little seal shows us that process in action! He lived in the water but hadn't lost his legs yet.

Want to see a really cool interactive site about this animal? Click here.