Wikipedia:Featured list candidates/Timeline of evolution
A well referenced, linked and comprehensive list. Is it a list? Well we have this and this -- Ian ≡ talk 08:12, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
- Comment - excellent in many ways. Well-referenced, well-linked, and (crucially) well-written. My concern with it would be that it's veering too much, in places, towards being a "Timeline of anthropology". Most of the last 20 or so entries on the list have little to do with evolution. This has the knock-on effect of suggesting an old-fashioned "ladder" view of evolution, where everything has been leading up to humans at the "top". --OpenToppedBus - Talk to the driver 10:02, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
- Good point. I removed a few but am reluctant to go too far. In evolutionary terms, obviously not much has happened in the last 5-10000 years, however landmark events relating to the expanding human population and exploration milestones are to some degree relevant and IMO worthy of keeping. Whether we like it or not, we are at the "top" (after dolphins of course) and its reasonable for at least some readers to be interested in evolution from the point of view of how did we (ie. humans) get here. -- Ian ≡ talk 12:49, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
- I love the timeline. However I also see the point above. So my suggestion would be not to delete, but expand: climate warming? melting ice? animal extintion rates? carbon dioside levels? and such. Renata 13:57, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
- Unfortunately the items you suggest have hardly anything to do with evolution. I think OpenToppedBus' concerns could be fixed somehow with a link to Sociocultural evolution (a Featured Article!). -- Rune Welsh | ταλκ 14:45, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
- I also added some comments in the article's talk page. Other than that I can only second OpenToppedBus praise for this list. -- Rune Welsh | ταλκ 15:01, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
- I looked at it again. Hm, very interesting mix. Most are about humans. But here I find "250 kYA The Polar Bear evolves from an isolated high latitude population of Brown Bears." Ok, that's evolution. Right above it "300 kYA Creation of 900 m wide Wolfe Creek Crater in Western Australia's Wolfe Creek Crater National Park." That's goeology. "900 MYA There are 481 18-hour days in a year. Spin of the Earth slows down ever since." That's astronomy. "25 kYA Throwing sticks for hunting animals made from mammoth tusk (Poland)." That's archeology and history of civilisation. Renata 15:11, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
- I love the timeline. However I also see the point above. So my suggestion would be not to delete, but expand: climate warming? melting ice? animal extintion rates? carbon dioside levels? and such. Renata 13:57, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
- Good point. I removed a few but am reluctant to go too far. In evolutionary terms, obviously not much has happened in the last 5-10000 years, however landmark events relating to the expanding human population and exploration milestones are to some degree relevant and IMO worthy of keeping. Whether we like it or not, we are at the "top" (after dolphins of course) and its reasonable for at least some readers to be interested in evolution from the point of view of how did we (ie. humans) get here. -- Ian ≡ talk 12:49, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
- Most non-evolution events now removed. -- Ian ≡ talk 02:28, 23 February 2006 (UTC)
- I never said to remove anything (sorry for confussion). I just pointed out that it is not strictly about evolution so melting ice or deforestation could also fit in. Another topics to think about is cloning & gene engineering when people are creating new species. I like what you did at the end mentioning new mass extintion (with proper sources!) However, revisiting it again, it might need a clearer focus. Anyways, I love this timeline. Renata 04:53, 23 February 2006 (UTC)
- That's OK. I much prefer the new, more focussed version. -- Ian ≡ talk 05:25, 23 February 2006 (UTC)