How does evolution explain the gaps?

I believe that you are going to need all the luck that you can muster, assuming that you don't avoid the challenge of tracing the transformation of a single species throughout time. Just name the species.If there are gaps in the timeline due to lack of scientific evidence, we'll declare it just a silly old theory. Understand that word theory? If you can give scientifc evidence that contradicts any part of the timeline, then the timeline will have that evidence removed, thus creating a gap.But to make it more interesting, you have to give your own timeline of the same species, step by step, with unreffutable corroborating scientific evidence too. The same rules apply. But as far as you're concerned, there is no possible way that your timeline will contain such gaps.Actually, I'll be a gentleman and give you the upper hand. You can not only choose the species, but I'll let you give your timeline first. How's that for fairplay?[This message has been edited by David unfamous, 02-24-2003]

To expand on Andya's Result 2, lets look at those fossils:Ardipithecus ramidus
Approx. 4.5 mya
Proposed ancestor of hominids and chimpanzee
Lived in well forested regions
More chimpanzee like featuresAustralopithecus anamensis
Approx. 4 mya
Characteristics of tibia suggest bipedalism
Humorous quite human like though jaws were primitiveAustralopithecus afarensis
4 to 2.7 mya
Characteristics of pelvis suggest bipedalism
Species includes 3.2 myo fossil "Lucy"
Large teeth and chewing musclesAustralopithecus africanus
2 to 3 mya
Herbivorous, eating tough plant material
Jaw now like that of a human
Slightly larger brain than A.aferensis but still not advanced enough for speechAustralopithecus robustus
2 to 1.5 mya
Large robust skull
Flat face with little/no forehead
Sagittal crest for jaw muscle attachment
Larger teeth, well adapted to chewing
No indication of speech capabilityHomo habilis
2.2 to 1.6 mya
Simple handmade stone tools found with fossils
First hominid to migrate out of Africa
Brain size much enlarged, particularly near end of species life span
Some evidence of speech developmentHomo erectus
1.8 mya to 250,000 ya
Taller with a larger brain capacity
Gradual spread out of Africa
More refined tools
Used fire and lived in caves or huts
Enlarged nose
Definitely speech present
Sturdier and stronger than the modern human with massive jaws and huge molarsHomo sapiens (archaic)
200,000 to 500,000 ya
Link between H.erectus and H. sapiens sapiens
Smaller facial features and molars
Features intermediate between two speciesHomo sapiens neandertalensis
200,000 to 30,000 ya
Present in Europe and Middle East
Coexisted with H. sapiens archaic and H. sapiens sapiens
Longer face and a larger brain size
Large jaw and receding forehead
Heavy skeleton for large muscles. Much stronger than modern man
Ceremonial burialsHomo sapiens sapiens
120,000 ya before appearance outside Africa untill present
Average brain size
Features = modern manSo, we have Homo erectus fossils dated at 1.8 mya to 250,000 ya. They used tools and lived in caves or huts. No Homo sapiens have yet to be found further back than 130,000 ya.Corrections welcomed.