After 47 million years, scientists unearthed a fossil which may be the long-awaited missing link between primates and mankind. They immediately turned the fossil into a huge media whore that we're already sick of.

They're formally unveiling the fossil, Darwinius masillae, in a big ceremony in New York this morning and then launching a monstrous media and PR campaign that's been in the works for two years. There's gonna be only the biggest and most expensive History Channel documentary EVER and a whole book and a website and a TV campaign and appearances on Good Morning America and Nightline and the ABC Evening News.

Ugh, barf, Darwinius masillae is only the most played-out monkeylink species fossil in the last 47 million years, GOD I'm so sick of hearing about it. Hey Darwinius masillae what will you do when you have to get a real job because you don't even have that much talent after all even though you think you are so cool?

An article to be published on Tuesday in PLoS, a scientific journal, will report more prosaically that the scientists involved said the fossil could be a "stem group" that was a precursor to higher primates, with the caveat, "but we are not advocating this."

I mean at least Christina Aguilera can sing.
[NYT. Pic via]