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November 08, 2005

Giant Frickin' Apes!

A gigantic ape standing 10 feet tall and weighing up to 1,200 pounds lived alongside humans for over a million years, according to a new study. Fortunately for the early humans, the huge primate's diet consisted mainly of bamboo.

Scientists have known about Gigantopithecus blackii since the accidental discovery of some of its teeth on sale in a Hong Kong pharmacy about 80 years ago. While the idea of a giant ape piqued the interest of scientists – and bigfoot hunters – around the world, it was unclear how long ago this beast went extinct.

Now Jack Rink, a geochronologist at McMaster University in Ontario, has used a high-precision absolute-dating method to determine that this ape – the largest primate ever – roamed Southeast Asia for nearly a million years before the species died out 100,000 years ago during the Pleistocene period. By this time, humans had existed for a million years.

Giant. Frickin'. Apes.

posted by Ace at 01:00 PM

Comments

It took them all this time to find this species? It's still alive today for cripes sake:

Michael Moore

Posted by: William Thrash on November 8, 2005 01:08 PM

I hate every ape I see, from chimpan-A to chimpan-Z.

Oh, you'll never make a monkey out of meeee!

Cheers,
Dave at Garfield Ridge

Posted by: Dave at Garfield Ridge on November 8, 2005 01:15 PM

From the article:

Some scientists believe that an appetite focused on bamboo combined with increasing competition from more nimble humans eventually led to the extinction of Gigantopithecus.

Well naturally people are responsible. Nothing goes extinct without our help.

Posted by: lauraw on November 8, 2005 01:18 PM

Scientists have known about Gigantopithecus blackii since the accidental discovery of some of its teeth on sale in a Hong Kong pharmacy

This may all be true but it really stinks of hoax. C'mon, giant apes roaming southeast Asia and its teeth selling in Hong Kong? If they find a giant Moth species alongside it I will freak.

Posted by: scott on November 8, 2005 01:22 PM

"...Gigantopithecus blackii..."???

Has Farrakhan been informed?

Posted by: TC@LeatherPenguin on November 8, 2005 01:25 PM

Phasers.

Giant Apes.

Phasers + Giant Apes.

Posted by: Ayes of Death David on November 8, 2005 01:27 PM

I use to enjoy watching primates. But after that chimp attack where they ate that poor guy's testicles off, forget it!

Anyway, are the Giant Frickin' Apes going to be guests on Hoist the Black Flag this afternoon?

Posted by: on November 8, 2005 01:39 PM

What, no fine print?! I like the footnotes. Keep them up!

Posted by: slickdpdx on November 8, 2005 02:01 PM

Did you see the artists' rendering of this giant ape? Wow, freaky, man.

Now I think I know what it's like to be Dennis Hopper on a day at the zoo.

Posted by: SWLiP on November 8, 2005 02:11 PM

One single set of teeth does not a species make.

Posted by: Speller on November 8, 2005 02:11 PM

Shouldn't there be a pic of a half-naked Jessica Lange posted with this story?

Posted by: compos mentis on November 8, 2005 02:12 PM

Michael Medved will go ape shit over this.

Posted by: on November 8, 2005 02:13 PM

Not Ace's fault, but this article doesn't have much new information. All of this was laid out in a book on giant apes I read several years ago.

No, I don't have a life. And your point would be...?

Posted by: utron on November 8, 2005 02:45 PM

This would explain Janet Reno.

Posted by: The Warden on November 8, 2005 03:20 PM

How come everything that eats bamboo is anatomically equiped to eat people? Giant fangs and everything.

Posted by: Dave Munger on November 8, 2005 07:48 PM

As far as I know, humans(homo sapiens) have only existed for about 200,000 years.

Posted by: robert108 on November 8, 2005 09:50 PM

Hmm. A giant ape story surfaces just before the release of the new King Kong movie.

I QUESTION THE TIMING!

Posted by: Scott Free on November 8, 2005 11:54 PM