source file: mills2.txt Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 07:00:38 -0700 Subject: RE: Neanderthal flute From: "Ashcraft AC (Clif)" ------ extPart_000_01BC4595.4DAA95C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charsets-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >Did the editor warn people about practical jokes in the issue? The section of the April issue of Discovery Magazine containing the bogus news article on the "discovery" of a Neanderthal tuba, bagpipe, xylobone and nose flute is called Breakthroughs, and is normally the spot reserved for real breaking news in the sciences. So far I have found no warnings or disclaimers in this issue, but they could be buried in the fine print on the editorial staff credits paragraph. The individual articles in this particular Breakthrough were convincingly written and could easily fool the non-specialist, casual reader. I got a big kick out of them. They're written a lot like the April fool articles by Martin Gardner in the old Scientific American - like the one he wrote claiming Leonardo DaVinci was the inventor of the flush toilet, authoritatively backed up by a just discovered codex filled with DaVinci style drawings and mirror writing which was supposedly found in the Vatican files. The Neanderthal tuba article was fairly liberally sprinkled with dead give-away's like the name of the paleontologist (Todtkopf), and the non-existent university (Hindenburg U - isn't that somewhere in New Jersey?) which sort of sounds like a real one if you read it fast, and the increasingly bizarre nature of the "facts" reported as you approach the end of the article. I was actually disappointed when it finally dawned on me that the image I had been building up in my head of a Neanderthal Oom-pah band wasn't real! The other articles are more subtle (except maybe the one on bacterially produced limestone cement using a nutrient broth containing urea and calcium chloride which was proposed for preventing surface flaking on the Mount Rushmore sculptures). I assume all of the Breakthrough articles in this issue are bogus. Clif Ashcraft ---------- From: Bill Alves[SMTP:alves@orion.ac.hmc.edu] Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 1997 5:35 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: RE: Neanderthal flute >Well considering that it was the April issue of Discovery magazine.... > >I'm not sure you will find it at all. I believe it was an "April Fool" >issue. > >Just a bit of humor. > >I am also sure that there is no professor of paleontology with the name >"Deadhead". Maybe you're right, but if so it could have been a lot funnier. I found the article on the web, by the way: http://www.enews.com/magazines/discover/magtxt/9704-2.html#5 It includes a sound file that is pretty humorous, someone trying to play an "oom-pah-pah" bass line with what I presume is supposed to be the tusk tuba. Did the editor warn people about practical jokes in the issue? I didn't see any others, but, then, maybe I'm just too gullible. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ Bill Alves email: alves@hmc.edu ^ ^ Harvey Mudd College URL: http://www2.hmc.edu/~alves/ ^ ^ 301 E. Twelfth St. (909)607-4170 (office) ^ ^ Claremont CA 91711 USA (909)621-8360 (fax) ^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------ extPart_000_01BC4595.4DAA95C0 Content-Type: application/ms-tnef Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 eJ8+IhUOAQaQCAAEAAAAAAABAAEAAQeQBgAIAAAA5AQAAAAAAADoAAENgAQAAgAAAAIAAgABBJAG ACQBAAABAAAADAAAAAMAADADAAAACwAPDgAAAAACAf8PAQAAAEkAAAAAAAAAgSsfpL6jEBmdbgDd AQ9UAgAAAAB0dW5pbmdAZWxsYS5taWxscy5lZHUAU01UUAB0dW5pbmdAZWxsYS5taWxscy5lZHUA AAAAHgACMAEAAAAFAAAAU01UUAAAAAAeAAMwAQAAABYAAAB0dW5pbmdAZWxsYS5taWxscy5lZHUA AAADABUMAQAAAAMA/g8GAAAAHgABMAEAAAAYAAAAJ3R1bmluZ0BlbGxhLm1pbGxzLmVkdScAAgEL MAEAAAAbAAAAU01UUDpUVU5JTkdARUxMQS5NSUxMUy5FRFUAAAMAADkAAAAACwBAOgEAAAACAfYP AQAAAAQAAAAAAAADlDYBCIAHABgAAABJUE0uTWljcm9zb2Z0IE1haWwuTm90ZQAxCAEEgAEAFgAA AFJFOiBOZWFuZGVydGhhbCBmbHV0ZQCXBwEFgAMADgAAAM0HBAAKAAkANwAPAAQANQEBIIADAA4A AADNBwQACgAJAAQABgAEAPkAAQmAAQAhAAAAMzQ5ODlFNUY3QUIxRDAxMUJENUEwMDgwNUYzNkE1 NTUAGgcBA5AGALgKAAASAAAACwAjAAAAAAADACYAAAAAAAsAKQAAAAAAAwA2AAAAAABAADkAYDPW Mr9FvAEeAHAAAQAAABYAAABSRTogTmVhbmRlcnRoYWwgZmx1dGUAAAACAXEAAQAAABYAAAABvEW/ Ms5fnpg1sXoR0L1aAIBfNqVVAAAeAB4MAQAAAAMAAABNUwAAHgAfDAEAAAAVAAAAVUNDL0JCS05K MDEvQVNIQ1JBQUMAAAAAAwAGEGZZ4k0DAAcQNAkAAB4ACBABAAAAZQAAAERJRFRIRUVESVRPUldB Uk5QRU9QTEVBQk9VVFBSQUNUSUNBTEpPS0VTSU5USEVJU1NVRT9USEVTRUNUSU9OT0ZUSEVBUFJJ TElTU1VFT0ZESVNDT1ZFUllNQUdBWklORUNPTlQAAAAAAgEJEAEAAAA9CQAAOQkAACMRAABMWkZ1 +XhZ1f8ACgEPAhUCqAXrAoMAUALyCQIAY2gKwHNldDI3BgAGwwKDMgPFAgBwckJxEeJzdGVtAoMz twLkBxMCgzQSzBTINRLMOQ/fZjYERhM0EVcxMuI4AzAnODIJUBrRCtGlGtFvGsEzUxvCVhvC6www G9FOAoM3EQwaghOpfjgZGxDxGh8bJhv/AoM57wNFEzUHbQKAfQqACM8J2eI7Jg8yNTUCgAqBDbHB C2BuZzEwMxRQCwrLFFEL8mMAQCA+Kc0TUApvE9BjBUBEaWQgkHRoZSAJgGl0BbHGdwrAA6BwZW8L UCzQHwGgCGAFQBNQANB0aWPhB0Agam9rB5ELgCyjewQBClA/CuEp7wqFCoVUjyzBEbAusQIgIG9m LKN+QRNQAxEv8zMiLHAE8G8KdgSQeQXQYWdher8LgCzQBaACMAtxC4BnLKPZBuBndQQgNZB3BCAK wG8uwS3xMwEssiItADS1In0zImEHsQBwBIEssC7xdLB1YmEsNqA1QHAFIPJlOmB4eSWgBuA1kTmB 9TcAbxGwICjgLlAv0jWwlwdALfAskEImEGFrLLDhA2B1Z2hzOmA7ojyRPTvgcgDAPOA1ECyyc3Dt LBAgJhARsHI04CyQAhD3BcA9QQMgYj1CNjI3Ey+FkwTwCJBuYweQLiAGAOZvPCAKwUkgEYA04EAx /nU7sy1TNjEEIAWxOGILYf8HgBGgL3Q8kS/zOmEuUSyx0zUQBaB1bCyQYjaRCHL7PkEvlGY1gjOx AjA31iz0/wcxMqABkA3QNbAmES0QBCDHCrE1QC6QcGguMZ8vcfUtAHYsgHUu8TdlRagKsf8uwUdg CsE9Oi1QBJA1o01Q90JgNjE+8XcFEAJACfA7k/9HRDlwAJA+8QIQBvAsozvgvG4tP2AFkAcxBAB0 OmB/LuAwEC7xPUEEgUKhQ0BnMz+BOUBiaTZQQRBjazczIC5RMzRtQqEycXkn+1BxUXcgJaAFQFQw L0AzWbtTA03HYjUSN3EDoEcLEd81kAXAL4UG8CyQU0IyLsC9SLBjFLBFcS7RA6AtWNh/O2IswVFw LBE1sEVCNjJMjS3AbgsRQuBEYVZQ4v8tUQQgL7NQwFyxBbEzNTwxfnNQMC0gAxARwD4BLlBo/0oR AZAuwDTgPvE6QFZwPQHsdXBaojlAajbgBUA4Zvc9AQWgDbB4SKE84wPwLLDvYFcTwDsgLNBkLpAD 8ESSezuiX4ByA2AtQVGBNjJ3b0YAEXBg0zAQcD9wEbBk91LTQ9IvhVZjwV2CZpFCg/9L/zlfN1dg 4kMAaRA+8VQw30egLpA+4j9gSRFrZscNsNdVIFWgY+EtaFBhV7AEIP9Y52AAB4AzJgqwLfACISWR k3JQZVEoVARwdGst0PxmKT4EU1ZmYFRBXLFkoN8DADThAJBn4HVASE0RCfCbR9E2UFVdsQQAbidG 0v9jwDKgA3AH0CzAUHEvgQfC5kpFgUcQPylp5XnAACD/MyJ5wEPRcvU5QECDO2IGkPwgeQhgVPMv cAVAQwBUUr92FlDhPUEAkFEjVhB6CsDfUHFgADogUHEzNSJDACxA/nM48CYQP3AAID0BYPF94v9L sCvxANBioSzCO7EzNTdl/1VjYOIuoU2BPvE4YYMxYtD/AjBm0izAA6B+cguAhfRoUH81kIQhA6Bz wXlzL7MAwGf/LNBDQkeCUcFGsAMQLQA2QXtksS+BbTUQLMByITkfT/0DcC0KsFAwOkA7sWDheTL9 QIIhbR8zICyxBcBNxwrATyzQBGBQcTAQYnQt8SjvZmBCcAUxAMB5R6FeNjMB/2RBE9AHIj7xK/FN cEJwLJD/VDAHgS0gNZIT4Hcjf+I5Mf5uLlAIgUkxQNCPsTW6gQFPbyFSAgdAQjB1bTWwaP8loSyA V+FqByvxasNAMxNQ7mVhgjYyMBBygcE8EkEE7TflTUPBBUBSYoGQ5E8h8wUwgQFzKVVjUqAwEHPB /zzRMyZPi03PNASQojazS+1vDIKjr6S/pSBDVDAzQEF3YpAFAEqQdKLdCwNUMDEEODAC0WktMTQ0 bw3wDNCo4wtZMRkAK/YtX6sHCoepuwwwK/ZGA2E6t6wOK/ak80JmoRSwbDTggHNbU01UUDoHQK2w MUBKEQIgLgDQLp1w87GQCYB1XauvrL0GYAIwW63vrvtXCYA1kHOIEHkTOmAzpDA5OmAxOTkANyA1 OjM1IFC+TbI/rL11YLR/rvtNR2D/LsAt4iYQQjA6sFyxRLEzQO9UMrhvs046MGosMbqPrvt8UkXA gDlqPDOnD6gTM/Y2qYcrjT62UJ9RNcEAkP8EgTY0eZF+cWDmM680tomBLTVjLsrhCoU+yyZJJ/+Y oDvgeaGBAn3iA/CfUUix/35TeZE80VVjR6BUMJrhyBbVA5EiyNRGUxEiyyYv893LH0plQlXyVsNo mJAFsP/Rb56xmKAHQHnAzJSI5noy+z5yk+JmB5B7wTMidGlRUWdnEnNm07YiRFURi6Ii/0vtNTCS Qn3hV8IFED3QVGH/RrJ9sdUhfnFHRENjijNYhP5mQ9ADAFVCQ0BDtCyxCoW7N21QUGI6YT8EcrE6 jpyB3DB0cDovL3fjkEux4DcSLgWgbS/KZnNOLzhm5GIM0HQvt8AwCDQtMrGgdG1sI/o1jpxJyAFC YApADbA3Qf98NGyDx8WZ0hHAd+HTUwhg7z3xecI7YpYweTYz1pELYPVk8W4KhSJTEI0jjTI48P86 QAQRVDA1kWcDafB5kUNAf5rBnvM8kWqW68KSVTogc/5rCoU6IkvtLH8tjy6fL6q/Q0DzcFuAeUER sN/XbjUQ34+zPfFGsTpg8yFuOmCSJP/MImUz85BC4DbQPOBwgIUB+46cCoVe/I/9n/6v/7//8f/8 Fq+5QrACTwNfQrAT4AtwvmzAgLDEsbX8cAEHSArA/zTgNRHoMPMACFA84YmhB754VVJMwIDjKOZh BXQvSn6wwy8F2TMwKtBFNUKgVFBQbA4wUDBTdKdCoQyvDUcoObdgKcUg8DctNDHmIHVAMzBc8X5l e0AA+KYwkKEfYEkxQyhBIDkO8DExcFVTxxEQEc8NzTIxLSHAxSD7dUCboHgPqRU/Fk8XXxhvfwDY Gb8az8SPxZ9tBiiBAAEfIAAAAAMAEBABAAAAAwAREEkAAABAAAcwIA3SDbhFvAFAAAgwIA3SDbhF vAEeAD0AAQAAAAUAAABSRTogAAAAAB/X ------ extPart_000_01BC4595.4DAA95C0-- Received: from ns.ezh.nl [137.174.112.59] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Thu, 10 Apr 1997 18:15 +0200 Received: by ns.ezh.nl; (5.65v3.2/1.3/10May95) id AA02531; Thu, 10 Apr 1997 18:15:40 +0200 Received: from ella.mills.edu by ns (smtpxd); id XA02529 Received: from by ella.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) id JAA17454; Thu, 10 Apr 1997 09:13:37 -0700 Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 09:13:37 -0700 Message-Id: <199704101609.JAA25229@sunatg3> Errors-To: madole@mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@ella.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@ella.mills.edu