Monday night, Darwinius masilae (a k a Ida) had her television debut on The Link, which aired on the History Channel. A lot of people saw it, says Broadcasting & Cable in a surprisingly accurate article, which managed to do a better job on the scientific side of the story than a lot of regular media outlets:
Controversy Helps ‘The Link' Boost History--Draws 2 million viewers Monday night By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/26/2009 1:39:59 PM MT
The Link, a History special about the recently revealed 47 million year old fossil Ida, drew 2 million viewers Monday night, according to Nielsen Fast Cable ratings. That is up 67% compared to History's prime average.The special also drew 904,000 P25-54 and 756,000 P18-49.
Ida--and the History special--was announced just a few weeks ago at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and in journal PLoS One. Since ...
