[b] [QUOTE]
originally posted by leekim
---I understand all of the points you raise but that (and the prior posts) is not a sufficient explanation to justify the non-existence of any of the less advanced hominids (under a theory of evolution there must have been hundreds of these incremental, "advancing" specimens which eventually lead to the modern homo sapien sapien). Yet despite the fact that modern apes, chimps, etc found a way to survive to the current day, none, not a one, of the prior sapiens was able to find a way to survive within their environment? It just seems implausible to me.
[/b][/QUOTE]
You seem to be suggesting that modern apes have NOT evolved.
Evolutionary theory puts forward that modern apes are just as
far up (if you want to put it that way) the evolutionary
ladder as we are ... they too evolved from early hominids.
The reason, in a nutshell, that no early hominids exist today is
that they evolved ... their offspring at each generation
were subtly different, and selective pressure worked to keep
the 'variants' that could survive best.
On the African continent what would become Gorillas were able
to survive in the high forests because large, mainly plant-eating
creatures could survive better there (simplification).
Those hominid offspring that were better adapted to that lifestyle survived and bred, and differences accumulated over tens of thousands of years.
Evolution is gradual and ongoing, and cannot be detected by the
generations involved. Only by looking back several thousand
years can the accumulated differences be noticed.