The Denver Nuggets' mascot recently made headlines when it passed out during a game. The incident occurred during a timeout, when the mascot was performing a routine on the court. Witnesses say that the mascot suddenly collapsed to the ground and appeared to be unconscious. Arena staff and medical personnel rushed to the mascot's aid and quickly attended to him. The mascot was eventually revived and taken off the court on a stretcher. It was later revealed that he had suffered from a heat stroke and exhaustion, which caused him to pass out.
Dubois unearthed an isolated tooth (Trinil 1) and - most importantly - the top part of a skull (Trinil 2) and a thigh bone (Trinil 3). Together they have often been referred to as Java Man.
The thigh bone indicated the creature had an erect, human-like posture, but the skullcap indicated its brain was much smaller than humans today and featured a distinct brow ridge. The thigh bone indicated the creature had an erect, human-like posture, but the skullcap indicated its brain was much smaller than humans today and featured a distinct brow ridge.
It was later revealed that he had suffered from a heat stroke and exhaustion, which caused him to pass out. The incident raised concerns about the health and safety of mascots, as they often perform in high-energy routines in heavy costumes. The Denver Nuggets' mascot is known for its acrobatic stunts and entertaining performances during games.
Homo erectus
‘Peking Man’ Homo erectus skull. Discovered: Zhoukoudian, China. The original ‘Peking Man’ skull was reconstructed using a mixture of male and female fossils whereas the modern reconstruction by I. Tattersal and G. Sawyer combines fossil pieces from males only. Image: Stuart Humphreys
© Australian Museum
Fossils of these short and stocky humans, with their distinctive skull shape and large brow ridges, have mostly been found in China and Indonesia.
Debate abounds as to whether the Asian fossils and those from Africa should be classified together as Homo erectus or if the African examples are different enough to be called Homo ergaster. The information on this page refers specifically to Asian Homo erectus.
Background on Homo erectus discovery
Homo erectus Age
Homo erectus species lived between 100,000 and 1.6 million years ago, although some estimates extend this to between 35,000 and 1.8 million years ago.
Important fossil discoveries
After years of searching Indonesia for ‘the missing link’, Dutchman Eugene Dubois finally uncovered part of a skull in 1891 (known as ‘Java Man’). He believed this fossil belonged to an ancient and ‘upright’ human and so coined the species name erectus. Other scientists dismissed this interpretation, preferring to emphasise its ape-like qualities. Dubois’ opinion was validated when a series of similar fossils were uncovered in China during the 1920s and 1930s.
Important Homo erectus specimens
- Sangiran 17 – a 1.2 million-year-old skull discovered in 1969 in Sangiran, Indonesia. This adult male skull is the best preserved Homo erectus skull from Java.
- Zhoukoudian 3 – a skullcap discovered in 1929 in Zhoukoudian, China. This adolescent’s skullcap was originally found in fragments. When the pieces were fitted together, they showed that this young individual had a brain size of 915 cubic centimetres.
- ‘Java Man’ or Trinil 2 – a skullcap discovered in 1891 by Eugene Dubois in Trinil, Indonesia. This fossil was nicknamed ‘Java Man’ because it was found on the island of Java. It is the ‘type specimen’ or official representative for the species.
- Sangiran 2 – a 1 million-year-old skullcap discovered in 1937 in Sangiran, Indonesia
- ‘Solo Man’ or Ngandong – a skull cap discovered in 1932 in Ngandong, Indonesia. Because its exact original location is unknown, published dates have ranged from 35,000 to 500,000 years old. ‘Solo Man’ shares similarities with earlier Homo erectus specimens from Sangiran and is considered to be a late Homo erectus.
- ‘Mojokerto’ or Perning 1 – a juvenile skull discovered in 1936 in Mojokerto, Indonesia. Radiometric dates have suggested this child’s skull may be as old as 1.8 million years, which significantly increases the previous dates for Homo erectus in Asia. However, this date is debated as the sediment sample taken for dating was taken about 60 years after the skull was collected and the two may have come from different levels.
- Zhoukoudian 5 – a partial skull discovered in Zhoukoudian, China. This skull was reconstructed from several pieces found in 1934, 1936 and 1966.
- ‘Peking Man’ discovered in Zhoukoudian, China. The original ‘Peking Man’ skull was reconstructed using a mixture of male and female fossils whereas the modern reconstruction by I. Tattersal and G. Sawyer combines fossil pieces from males only.
- Sangiran 4 – a 1.5 million-year-old upper jaw discovered in 1939 in Sangiran, Indonesia. The canine teeth were larger than those found in modern humans. This is one of the oldest specimens from Sangiran.
- Sangiran 1 – a 1.5 million-year-old partial lower jaw discovered in 1936 in Sangiran, Indonesia. This is the first human fossil discovered at Sangiran.
What the name Homo erectus means
Homo, is a Latin word meaning ‘human’ or ‘man’ and is the genus or group name of this species.
The second word in this species’ scientific name is erectus. This name was selected to indicate that this species’ ability to stand and walk with an upright or erect stance.
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Homo erectus Distribution
Homo erectus is now one of the better known of our human relatives with over 40 specimens excavated from Java and many more from sites in China.
Sangiran on the island of Java, is the most important Homo erectus site in Indonesia. The remains of over 80 individuals have been found here at a number of localities. The region was first occupied about 1.6 million years ago.
The site of Zhoukoudian, 40 kilometres south of Beijing in China, has yielded the largest number of Homo erectus fossils from any one locality (about 50 individuals are represented by the remains). About 100,000 stone tool artefacts were also in the cave. These were mostly quartz and sandstone chopping tools and flakes. It was occupied between 200,000 and 750,000 years ago, although evidence suggests that occupation was sporadic rather than permanent. Hyenas and other animals also used the cave site.
Initial excavations between 1926 and 1937 yielded five skullcaps, various other skull fragments, 11 jaws and more than 140 teeth. Almost all of these fossils were lost in 1941 when the Japanese invaded China during World War II. Fortunately, accurate replicas of these fossils had been made. Additional Homo erectus fossils were excavated at Zhoukoudian after World War II and have also been excavated since from Chinese sites including Hexian, Lantian and Nanjing.
Homo erectus Relationships with other species
A growing number of scientists have redefined the species Homo erectus so that it now contains only east Asian fossils. Many of the older African fossils formerly known as Homo erectus have now been placed into a separate species, Homo ergaster and this species is considered to be ancestral to Homo erectus. The redefined Homo erectus is now generally believed to be a side branch on our family tree whereas Homo ergaster is now viewed as one of our direct ancestors.
However, some scientists still support the view that all these specimens are Homo erectus and that this species includes individuals that vary in their features and have a widespread distribution over both time and geographic location.
There is even debate about whether the two Asian H.erectuspopulations represent the same species. Prior to the 1950s the fossils from Java were known as Pithecanthropus erectus and those from China were called Sinanthropus pekinensis. Many early finds also had nicknames taken from the places they were found, such as ‘Peking Man’, ‘Java Man’, and ‘Solo Man’. In the 1950s they were all placed in the one species, Homo erectus, but some scientists still believe the specimens represent different species or subspecies and use the name Homo pekinensis for the Chinese fossils.
Even if the populations in Indonesia and China were the same species, the idea is now being proposed that the populations were not connected, and that the Chinese population arrived later than the Indonesian and came from a different source. Initially, it was believed that the Asian H.erectus originated with one group that dispersed from a single source in Africa.
However, this incident highlighted the physical toll that these performances can take on the performers. The Denver Nuggets' organization released a statement expressing their concern for the mascot and pledging to review their performance protocols to ensure the safety of their entertainers. They also thanked the arena staff and medical personnel for their quick response in attending to the mascot. The incident served as a reminder that the entertainment industry, including sports mascots, must prioritize the health and well-being of their performers. It brought attention to the physical demands of performing in mascot costumes and the importance of proper training and support for these entertainers. The Denver Nuggets' mascot's collapse was a frightening moment during the game, but it also sparked a discussion about the responsibilities of sports organizations in ensuring the safety of their mascots and performers. It remains to be seen how this incident will impact the routines and performances of mascots in the future, but it is clear that it has brought attention to an important issue..
Reviews for "Denver Nuggets Mascot's Collapse Sparks Debate Over Mascot Safety"
1. Lisa - 1/5 stars - This was hands down the worst experience I have ever had at a basketball game. The Denver Nuggets mascot passed out during halftime and it was not handled properly at all. The staff seemed completely unprepared and it took them way too long to get medical assistance. It was incredibly distressing to see the mascot lying on the floor for what felt like an eternity. I understand that accidents happen, but the lack of urgency and organization was extremely disappointing.
2. Mark - 2/5 stars - I have been a fan of the Denver Nuggets for many years, but the recent incident with their mascot passing out left me very disillusioned. The whole situation was poorly managed by the team. They should have had a backup plan in place and proper medical professionals on standby to handle emergencies like this. It was a chaotic scene and it overshadowed the entire game for me. I hope the Nuggets address this issue and ensure that such a mishap doesn't occur again in the future.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - The Denver Nuggets mascot passing out during the game was a major letdown. It seemed like the team had no contingency plan for such situations. Instead of swiftly dealing with the emergency, there was confusion and disorganization on the part of the staff. It made me question the overall safety protocols in place at the arena. As a fan, I expect better from a professional sports organization and this incident left a sour taste in my mouth.