# Tiny Prehistoric Human Theory? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 12, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-prehistoric-human-theory/250021 "2004-06-12T21:32:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grendel\_s\_Father](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grendel\_s\_Father](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grendel_s_Father)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-prehistoric-human-theory/250021/1 "2004-06-12T21:32:04Z")
A long while back, I remember running across a site describing a really strange theory. Some scientist claimed to find tiny (a few millimeters long) imprints of “humans” and other modern animals in Cambrian or pre-Cambrian rock. The site featured photos of the “fossils” with their outlines highlighted. The little guys were not only fossilized, but had been caught dancing, shaking hands, riding horses, and in the middle of other every-day actions. The scientist used these to argue that all modern animals have existed since Cambrian times, and have only changed in size over millions of years. Now, recently a scientist on a paleontology list I follow has been claiming to “discover” the impressions of baby pterodactyls in all kinds of existing fossils in a similar way. In response, I’ve been searching for that original, strange theory, but no luck. I’m pretty sure I didn’t imagine the whole thing. Can anyone help me out? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-prehistoric-human-theory/250021/2 "2004-06-13T05:02:11Z")
I knew exactly who you were talking about, but putting microscopic human fossils into Google gives you too many links to real science. However, unreal science is what wins you the IgNobel Prize. [Chonosuke Okamura, Visionary](http://www.improb.com/airchives/paperair/volume6/v6i6/okamura-6-6.html). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-prehistoric-human-theory/250021/3 "2004-06-13T05:27:42Z")
[Here’s another link](http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,5500,1169713,00.html) My favorite quote: > [@](#): > > Okamura also gives us keen insights into their lives. Of one mini-fossilised rock he writes: “Two totally naked homos, facing each other, are moving their hands and feet harmoniously. We can only think of dancing in a present-day style.” ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-prehistoric-human-theory/250021/4 "2004-06-13T10:25:35Z")
By the way, in a rather cool development, [the first-ever reported pterosaur embryo fossil](http://www.nature.com/nsu/040607/040607-6.html) was found in Liaoning, China. Maybe the guy on your list is just jealous. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-prehistoric-human-theory/250021/5 "2004-06-13T17:06:51Z")
I mentioned that a couple days ago in MPSIMS. The thread promptly sank like a rock. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-prehistoric-human-theory/250021/6 "2004-06-13T17:25:39Z")
Hmm, so the Academy Of Natural Sciences has a copy? I’ll have to pay them a visit. I’ve actually been meaning to visit since that thread on fulgurite a few months back. ---
**Author:** ![Grendel\_s\_Father](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grendel\_s\_Father](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grendel_s_Father)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-prehistoric-human-theory/250021/7 "2004-06-19T16:54:26Z")
Yeah, it was the newly discovered pterosaur embryo that prompted this. It nicely shoots down this gentleman’s… questionable theories (though he has decided that the embryo is in fact an adult taking shelter in the egg of another animal). Thanks for the responses!