Plesiadapis Facts

Plesiadapis Facts Name: Plesiadapis (Greek for almost Adapis); pronounced PLESS-ee-ah-DAP-iss Habitat: Woodlands of North America and Eurasia Historical Period: Late Paleocene (60-55 million years ago) Size and Weight: About two feet long and 5 pounds Diet: Fruits and seeds Distinguishing Characteristics: Lemur-like body; rodent-like head; gnawing teeth About Plesiadapis One of the earliest prehistoric primates yet discovered, Plesiadapis lived during the Paleocene epoch, a mere five million years or so after the dinosaurs went extinct- which does much to explain its rather small size (Paleocene mammals had yet to attain the large sizes typical of the mammalian megafauna of the later Cenozoic Era). The lemur-like Plesiadapis looked nothing like a modern human, or even the later monkeys from which humans evolved; rather, this small mammal was notable for the shape and arrangement of its teeth, which were already semi-suited to an omnivorous diet. Over tens of millions of years, evolution would send the descendants of Plesiadapis down from the trees and onto the open plains, where they would opportunistically eat anything that crawled, hopped, or slithered their way, at the same time evolving ever-larger brains. It took a surprisingly long time for paleontologists to make sense of Plesiadapis. This mammal was discovered in France in 1877, only 15 years after Charles Darwin published his treatise on evolution, On the Origin of Species, and at a time when the idea of humans evolving from monkeys and apes was extremely controversial. Its name, Greek for almost Adapis, references another fossil primate discovered about 50 years earlier. We can now infer from the fossil evidence that the ancestors of Plesiadapis lived in North America, possibly coexisting with dinosaurs, and then gradually crossed over to western Europe by way of Greenland.

Imminent, Immanent, and Eminent

Imminent, Immanent, and Eminent Imminent, Immanent, and Eminent Imminent, Immanent, and Eminent By Maeve Maddox Judaye Streett has asked for a tip on the similarly sounding words imminent, immanent, and eminent. Imminent is an adjective meaning about to happen. It comes from a Latin word meaning to overhang or to be near. Obamas court pick is imminent Pfizer Chief Says Growth Is Imminent PSPgo Relaunch is Imminent Bush Says No Imminent Decision on Guantanamo Similar in meaning to imminent is the word impending, literally, hanging over. Unlike imminent, impending has a negative, even ominous connotation. How do human beings react to the threat of impending catastrophe? Teachers appeal to AG to cancel impending dismissals Peter could not keep silent. He laid hold upon his Master, as if to draw Him back from His impending doom†¦ Anxiety symptoms Fear of impending doom The expression impending doom, meaning something bad about to happen has become such a clichà © as to be the name of at least two heavy metal bands. Immanent is an adjective meaning dwelling within. The word is most commonly used to describe a spiritual presence. It comes from a Latin word meaning to dwell within. Is there a hierarchy in the immanent Trinity? God is immanent in every form and whoever loves God must love Gods creation. Colossians 1:15:20 says: God has become immanent in Jesus Christ The word immanent has other applications in anthropology and mathematics. Sometimes even people writing about spiritual matters mix up immanent and imminent, as in these examples from a web site about the historical Jesus: [Jesus] did believe that this restoration [of a Jewish state] was immanent. Critical scholars argue that the high priest feared that Jesus talk of an immanent restoration of an independent Jewish state would likely spark a riot. Eminent means prominent, outstanding. It comes from a Latin word meaning to stand out or to project. Eminent people stand out from the herd because of their personal and professional qualities and achievements. In a literal sense of projecting, an eminence can be a hill or other high place that stands above its surroundings. The city squares by night are breathtaking when viewed from an eminence. BOOK REVIEW: An eminent Victorian disinterred UN Security Council Seeks an Eminent Individual for an Impossible Job The legal term eminent domain refers to the right of a government to appropriate private property for public use, paying just compensation to the owner. The public domain stands out from the private domain. The Alameda Theater and Cineplex in Alameda, CA, was built on property that was unjustly seized by the city through eminent domain laws. A new eminent domain law in Utah authorizes seizure of some of the federal governments vast land holdings. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Synonyms for â€Å"Angry†Between vs. In BetweenCaptain vs. Master