Forbidden Archeology_ The Full Unabridged Edition - Michael A. Cremo [377]
And what about something as apparently innocent as stargazing through the 200-inch telescope at Mt. Palomar? Fosdick (1952, p. 179) stated: “Superficially the 200-inch and the lesser projects in astronomy which have received Foundation aid would seem to be far removed from the main interest of the Natural Sciences program. What possible relationship can there be between the stars and experimental biology?” Fosdick (1952, p. 180) answered that astronomy gives the first glimmers of regularity in nature, the understanding of which will lead to control of humanity and the universe.
It bears repeating that one should see Black’s Peking man research within the larger framework of the explicitly stated goal of the Rockefeller Foundation, which reflected the implicit goal of big science—control, by scientists, of human behavior. In particular, Peking man strengthened the concept of human evolution, by which scientists attempt to determine the way we think about ourselves. Essentially, evolution defines human nature in a totally materialistic way. This materialistic definition of human nature tends to justify making the primary goal of human life the attainment of control, by science, over the visible universe.
9.1.6 An Historic Find and a Cold-Blooded Campaign
With the financial backing of the Rockefeller Foundation for the Cenozoic Research Laboratory secure, Black resumed his travels for the purpose of promoting Peking man. In May of 1929, he arrived in Java, for the Fourth Pacific Science Congress. There he was able to give a report on Sinanthropus before an audience that included Grafton Eliot Smith. Black stated: “Elliot Smith’s cordial backing after my presentation of the material at the conference made all the difference in the world to its reception there” (Hood 1964, pp. 100 –101). Nevertheless, Peking man still had not achieved the worldwide celebrity he would later enjoy. While in Java, Smith and Black visited the Trinil site, where Dubois had originally discovered Pithecanthropus, the southern relative of Sinanthropus.
Black then returned to China, where work was proceeding slowly at Choukoutien, with no new major Sinanthropus finds reported. Enthusiasm seemed to be waning among the workers. But then on the first of December, at the very end of the season, W. C. Pei (Pei Wenzhong) made an historic find. Pei later wrote: “At about four o’clock next afternoon I encountered the almost complete skull of Sinanthropus. The specimen was imbedded partly in loose sands and partly in a hard matrix so that it was possible to extricate it with relative ease” (Hood 1964, p. 104).
In order to protect the skull, Pei immediately wrapped it in paper and cloth soaked with flour paste. He then rode 25 miles on a bicycle to the Cenozoic Research Laboratory, where he presented the skull to Black, who gave him full credit for the discovery.
By early 1930, Black had published two preliminary papers on the skull and set about publicizing the find around the world. His secretary, Miss Hempel, recalled: “For weeks and months we did nothing but write letters” (Hood 1964, p. 109).
Black wrote to Dr. Pearce at the Rockefeller Foundation: “Yes, Sinanthropus is growing like a bally weed. I never realized how great an advertising medium primitive man (or woman) was till this skull turned up. Now everybody is crowding around to gaze that can get the least excuse to do so and it gets embarrassing at times. Being front page stuff is a new sensation and encourages a guarded manner of speech” (Hood 1964,