The Piltdown Hoax

During 1912, an Englishman named Charles Dawson claimed to have uncovered ancient human remains in Piltdown.  Immediately, he called fellow scientists, Arthur Smith Woodward and  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.  Woodward as a geologist, while Chardin was a French paleontologist.  They together said to have found more remains, they consisted of a ancient skull fragment, jawbone, and teeth.  After receiving credit for the discovery of human ancestors for over 40 years, they were finally exposed via chemical testing and microscopic testing. 

The entire world was shocked to hear, while some scientists were ashamed.  The three scientists however, remained quiet in the midst of the exposure.  The skull was chemically tested to be a mere few hundred years old and to be carved by knife to capture a human-like shape.  The jawbone was found to be the jawbone not of an ancient human, but of an orangutan.  The teeth were tested as well and belonged to a chimpanzee.  All three of the supposed ancient fossils were chemically rendered to appear millions of years old. 

Greed is a natural part of humans, because greed often leads to survival.  Assuming Dawson was responsible for the hoax, it was because he sought credit and recognition for an important discovery.  Credit and attention are two things many scientists seek in order to feel empowered.  Clearly, bias and selfishness can obstruct any form of craft because it ignores the evidence.

The modernization of technology is responsible for exposing the hoax.  Stronger microscopes were used to identify the carve marks on the bones to show that they were artificially presented to appear human.   Additionally, chemical testing was used to show that all the bones were not nearly as old as Dawson had claimed. 

The Human Factor is not always negative when it comes to science.  Although it is true that the Human Factor can encourage more hoaxes like this, it also drives the competitive nature in the craft.  Wanting more credit, trying to make the important discovery, and wanting to feel empowered all drive the sciences.  Also, this will drive people to test and reexamine discoveries more fully.  I would not take away the Human Factor because the drive the be the best is part of what makes humans so unique. 

A lesson to take away from this example is the be cautious in what you believe.  We may not be able to test some theories and claims first hand, but finding trusted sources and their support can lead to safer decisions.  Seeing how the world was fooled by the Piltdown Hoax for over 40 years shows how easily people can be fooled.