Quote by Richard Dawkins

At the age of three and a half the Taung Child was eaten by an eagle. The evidence is that damage marks to the eye sockets of the fossil are identical to marks made by modern eagles on modern monkeys as they rip out their eyes. Poor little Taung Child, shrieking on the wind as you were borne aloft by the aquiline fury, you would have found no comfort in your destined fame, two and a half million years on, as the type specimen of Australopithecus africanus.

At the age of three and a half the Taung Child was eaten by

Summary

This quote, attributed to Richard Dawkins, reflects on the tragic fate of the Taung Child, a significant fossil in the study of human evolution. It emphasizes the violence surrounding its demise - being eaten by an eagle - which left discernible damage marks on its eye sockets. The quote juxtaposes the heartbreaking end of the child's life with its later importance as a renowned specimen representing the species Australopithecus africanus, highlighting the irony that fame came long after the suffering took place.

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By Richard Dawkins

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