we all become collectively stupider. It's a silly buzzword that creates unrealistic expectations of evolutionary biology. Ida is most likely a transitional fossil, but she is not THE transitional fossil that will finally bring 'round the evolution deniers to reason and science. There is no such fossil and there never will be; such is the nature of phylogeny.

I heard a network talking head refer to "the cat like fossil" actually it had been described as cat sized, not cat like. I so want people to be more interested in this kind of thing, but at what price?

Hahaha no, this could totally explain why my cat thinks she's people!

/headdesk

I hope you were playing on your point with "stupider". Otherwise, you personally nailed your point.

but it's a lot sexier than transitional morphologies - we all need science spoon fed at a third grade level because that's where the masses have devolved to. I can see this article on Twitter now - "O look bonez. Old. Cat. Fluffy? Noooo!!!"

'Stupider' is a word.