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Blake, Wm. The Great Red Dragon and the Beast from the Sea- "And Power Was Given Him Over All Kindreds, and Tongues, and Nations." 1780.

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A King Kong-like ape standing nearly ten feet tall once roamed southern China, scientists say. The extinction of the Gigantopithecus blacki remains one of the biggest mysteries in paleontology.

They were first identified a century ago from teeth in a Hong Kong apothecary. The species flourished from about two million years ago, primarily eating fruit. A new study indicates they went extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago due to climate change impacting their diet.

Renaud Joannes-Boyau, co-author of the new study: “I think the child in us wants to know about these amazing creatures and what happened to them.”

Despite lasting two million years, only teeth and jawbones have been found, leaving much about Gigantopithecus’ appearance and habits a mystery.