The missing link found?

A team of researchers and scientist unveiled on Tuesday in New York the discovery of a 47 million year old primate fossil believed to be the missing link.
Discovered in Messel Pit, Germany, the fossil is twenty times older than most fossils that explain human evolution.

Ida: The missing link

Officially known as Darwinius masillae, Ida, the fossil of the lemur-like creature shows it had thumbs like humans and fingernails instead of claws.

Scientists say the cat-sized animal’s hind legs offer evidence of evolutionary changes that led to primates standing upright – a breakthrough that could possibly confirm Darwin’s “theory of evolution”.

“This specimen is like finding the Lost Ark for archeologists,” lead scientist Jorn Hurum said at a ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History.
“It is the scientific equivalent of the Holy Grail. This fossil will probably be the one that will be pictured in all textbooks for the next 100 years.”

Video: From the upcoming film, “The Link”:

Video of the missing link revelation in New York

[source NYDailyNews and HuffPost]