This week Shauna and Dan try to discover the Missing Link. Bonus: The Piltdown Man, The TV Show Bones, and Missed Sneezes.
Also, please direct all Ultraman complaints to Shauna.
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Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast
Episode 291: Missing Link
Record Date: August 19, 2025
Air Date: September 3, 2025
Intro
Dan:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase.
I’m Dan Pugh
Shauna:
And I’m Shauna Harrison
Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.
Opening Hook
Imagine a detective investigating a murder… they might have the suspect, the weapon, and the opportunity… but they’re missing the motive… that’s the crucial clue that connects everything together. And without it, the case can’t be solved. For this case, the motive is the missing link.
Meaning
According to Oxford English Dictionary, missing link means:
Quote
Something lacking to complete a series or to form an intermediate between two things, esp. in an evolutionary process; (Physical Anthropology) a hypothetical animal assumed to be an evolutionary link between man and the anthropoid apes, esp. as sought by early evolutionary biologists.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/missing-link_n?tab=meaning_and_use#11521888
1776
Bridges, an elementary treatise on their construction and history was an entry in Britannica Volume 93 written by Professor Henry Charles Fleeming Jenkin and published in 1776. Here is the excerpt,
Quote
The student will find that there is not much room for further invention in connection with the design of the superstructure of a bridge. It is curious to observe the essential unity of arch girder and suspension bridge, as illustrated by designs which pass by imperceptible gradations from one type to the other. There is hardly a missing link in the chain.
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bridges_an_elementary_treatise_on_their/aDwDAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22missing+link%22&pg=PA284&printsec=frontcover
In this case, ‘missing link’ is used figuratively to mean that the historical and technical development of bridges shows a continuous sequence, with no gaps between one form and the next.
1820
Samuel Taylor Coleridge used the phrase in his work Marginalia originally written around 1820.
Quote
For you, my dear Mr Green! who want no stronger demonstration of a thing than the evident and utter unreasonableness of preferring the only (tho' not proveably impossible) alternative, the missing Link could be easily supplied.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/missing-link_n?tab=meaning_and_use#11521888
Here, Coleridge is using ‘missing link’ in a more general sense, meaning a step or piece of reasoning that’s absent but could be filled in. So it isn’t about the topic but about the logical thought process in which he is saying something is missing.
1851
In Charles Lyell’s A Manual of Elementary Geology, published in 1851, we see the phrase used to discuss science… but not apes.
Quote
A break in the chain implying no doubt many missing links in the series of geological monuments which we may some day be able to supply.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/missing-link_n?tab=meaning_and_use#11521888
In this case, the phrase ‘missing link’ wasn’t about human evolution at all, but about gaps in the fossil and geological record—places where evidence was missing in the chain of Earth’s history.
1860-1890
Cassell’s Illustrated Family Bible was originally published between 1860 and 1890 in several series. This work included hundreds of engravings - mostly wood prints - and commentary or notes throughout. In a section of Ecclesiastes, under The Vanity of All Things, there is commentary added,
Quote
Wisdom affords a deeper view of the vanity or the emptiness of all earthly good; through wisdom a man perceives that all the works, all the strivings and doings of men under the sun, bring no sufficiently permanent or satisfactory result; discovers that everything in this earthly economy is disjointed, unconnected; and that no human being can supply the missing link, or rectify and bring into order that which is crooked and displaced; and hence, he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow, by his deeper insight into the present state of things.
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Holy_Bible/FKkLpQsbJvYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22missing+link%22&pg=PA906&printsec=frontcover
So in this case, the missing link is an unknown quantity - the thing that would fill in the gap between humanity’s efforts and would make life feel ordered and complete or purposeful. Essentially, the meaning of life is the missing link.
1875
In The Chemical News in a segment from The British Association for the Advancement of Science - The President’s Address, we find the term used. Here is some of the text,
Quote
I am acquainted with some who, when the first Transatlantic cable was proposed, contributed towards that undertaking with the consciousness that it was only an experiment, and that subscribing to it was much the same thing as throwing their money into the sea. Much of this cable was lost in the first attempt to lay it; but its promoters, nothing daunted, made 900 miles more cable, and finally laid it successfully in the following year, 1858.
The telegraphic system of the world comprises almost a complete girdle round the earth; and it is probable that the missing link will be supplied by a cable between San Francisco in California and Yokohama in Japan.
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Chemical_News_and_Journal_of_Physica/teUEAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22missing+link%22&pg=RA1-PA95&printsec=frontcover
Here “missing link” is being used in a very literal, structural sense rather than a metaphorical/philosophical one. It’s about filling the gap to bring the pieces together to finish the connection.
1899
The term is used in an article in the The Louisiana Planter and Sugar Manufacturer dated 17 May 1899. The piece is titled, The Missing Link in the Automatic Feeding of Cane Crushing Plants. Here is an excerpt,
Quote
When cut canes in measured and desired quantities are fed to the mill rolls, valuable data may be obtained and financial results will accrue to the average factory owner which will more than compensate for the cost of adding the missing link in automatic mill feeding.
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Louisiana_Planter_and_Sugar_Manufact/eukoAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22missing+link%22&pg=PA328&printsec=frontcover
The article discusses the manufacturing process, the impact of beet sugars on the cane sugar market and other factors related to the production of sugar. Missing link is definitely used as a figurative term here.
1917
An Essay on Criticism is one of the first major poems written by the English writer Alexander Pope, published in 1711. It is the source of the famous quotations "To err is human; to forgive, divine", "A little learning is a dang'rous thing", and "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread".
The work we are looking at is Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Criticism, and Other Poems With Introductory and Explanatory Notes… this review piece was published in 1898 with various updates through 1917.
Quote
In like manner, fond, which formerly meant ‘foolish,’ now means ‘affectionate.’ ‘Foolishly affectionate’ supplies the missing link.
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Essy_on_Criticism/Pv88AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1
In this example, the missing link is about words and how they change and develop in the language.
1922
The herald out of New Orleans, Louisiana, US, dated March 30, 1922 included the article titled Missing Link Still Missing. Here is an excerpt.
Quote
Civilized man of today is mightily interested in his ancestors - especially in those way back who lived in trees and caves and ate their food raw. Most especially is he interested in that ancestor who was the Missing Link - the connection between monkey and man.
End quote
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn88064020/1922-03-30/ed-1/?sp=18&q=missing+link&r=-0.041,-0.028,1.152,0.576,0
The accompanying images with this article included sketches of various types of skulls from neanderthals or hominids. Now is a good time to quickly give some info on this concept related to the connection of modern man to apes or former man.
The idea of a single "missing link" is misleading. Human evolution wasn’t a straight line from ape to modern man but a branching process with many species coexisting at different times. Each fossil discovery—whether Neanderthal, Homo erectus, or Australopithecus—adds to the puzzle, showing gradual changes in anatomy and behavior. So instead of one missing link, there are many transitional forms that together reveal how humans developed over millions of years.
1923
The phrase appears in an article about mineshafts in The Silver state Nevada, US, published December 18, 1923. Here is an excerpt,
Quote
From this map one may quickly locate values for distances on the various levels as set forth in Geologist William Sharp's report on the property. The assay map not only gives a sectional view of the Missing Link shaft where operations are now in progress but also of the Jackson shaft and the Donovan shaft, located on what is known as the Jackson vein.
End quote
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn86076247/1923-12-18/ed-1/?sp=3&q=missing+link&r=0.245,-0.002,0.416,0.208,0
This article describes a district notice that includes two maps: one showing the Red Hill Florence property and surrounding mines, and another assay sectional map of the mine. The sectional map is the one that was described in that excerpt. Work was focused only on the Missing Link shaft. Rich ore had already been found at the 200 and 300-foot levels, and they were hopeful that by extending the shaft to 500 feet would confirm the property as one of the richest in the state. So in this case, they called it the Missing Link shaft because it would be the connection to true wealth.
1941
In the Evening star out of Washington, D.C., US, dated August 10, 1941, we find the story of a missing link… and this one is related to humans but not in the way you might think. The article is titled, Austins Hold Picnic, But Fail To Find Family's Missing Link.
Quote
The Austins failed to find the missing link" in their family tree yesterday, but they had quite a picnic while they searched for it.
About 40 of them turned out for an open-air reunion in Dupont Park, including some Georgia Austins who couldn't be found in the records of the Rhode Island branch.
Most of the guests, however, could trace their descent from Robert Aus-tin, who liyed in Kingston, R. I., about 1661, according to Mrs. Edith Austin Moore of Brooklyn, family registrar.
… the guest of honor was Walter Warner Austin, a former mayor of San Diego, Calif., who made an informal talk.
Mrs. Moore had hoped some Austin would show up at the picnic who could give her details about one of the great-grandfathers of the fam-ily—an Edward Austin who married Ann Harrington at Exeter, Vt., many years ago.
When the picnic broke up about dark that information was still uncharted on the family tree which the Austins had nailed to an oak in the shady grove. There were many consolations, however, including fried chicken with all the trimmings.
End quote
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045462/1941-08-10/ed-1/?sp=24&q=missing+link&r=0.005,0.374,0.316,0.158,0
We have several modern uses to cover and we’ll get to those, right after we say thank you to our sponsors.
A Quick Thank You
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Modern Uses
2010
What's the Missing Link? is a 2010 article on Live Science written by Remy Melina. Here is a little from the article,
Quote
The technical term for missing links is transitional morphologies, or forms, and is used by paleontologists to describe important evolutionary discoveries that contain the anatomical features of both older and more recent physiology. A good example is the latest discovery of hominid fossils in Africa, which are believed to be a possible immediate ancestor to the human lineage, but NOT a missing link.
A missing link would possess the "in-between" evolutionary properties of both the ancestors' original traits and the traits of the evolved descendants, hence showing a clear connection between the two.
End quote
https://www.livescience.com/32530-what-is-the-missing-link.html
The article goes on to describe some specifics and then gives us a little more,
Quote
Over the years, many missing link fossils have been revealed to be hoaxes, with the most famous being the Piltdown Man. In 1912, a skull and jawbone found in a gravel pit in England were declared by scientists to be concrete proof of the connection between humans and apes.
More than 40 years later, the Piltdown Man was proven to be a fraud. It was nothing more than the lower jawbone of an orangutan combined with the skull of a modern human.
End quote
Piltdown Man is a fascinating story and we’re going to learn more about the infamous hoax in our behind the scenes which airs every Friday on Patreon. That’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod
2012
Patricia Denimal of France created a series of sculptures titled Missing link. The first in the series was Missing link Alpha. Here is a little bit about her work in general and then about the missing link series from the artist as shared on Saatchiart.
Quote
My work reflects a mythological world that is both personal and archaic. At first glance, some of my sculptures may seem familiar, but a closer look often reveals signs of chimeric transformations that provoke a feeling of strangeness. I no longer draw or even imagine my work in advance. I simply let my creatures come to life on my workbench, guided only by the expressions and features that emerge under the pressure of my fingers.
I created in 2012 like an "army" with 12 little ceramic busts like human monkeys, or simian human beings in a mysterious council. Several of them arised from my hands, not with a genuine intent, rather looking like good friends of mine
End quote
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Sculpture-Missing-link-Alpha/744242/11832847/view
I think she describes her work pretty well. I was able to view Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma online. They are interesting. There’s a little bit of that uncanny valley experience with them. They look human but also… not quite human.
2019
Missing Link is a 2019 stop-motion animation comedy film about a Sasquatch who travels to the Himalayas with two explorers. Here is a little about the film from the creators,
Quote
Funny and gentle Mr. Link, the very last of his species, yearns for companionship and a place where he belongs. To help find his rumored cousins in the fabled Valley of Shangri-La, he recruits Lionel Frost, the “world’s greatest” sleuth of myths and monsters. Together with courageous adventurer Adelina Fortnight, they embark on a hilarious globe-trotting journey to find Link’s far-flung family.
End quote
https://staging.laika.com/our-films/missinglink
Missing Link has a unique look and feel to the film which some might recognize from the films Coraline or Paranorman which were also created by Laika. The voice actors include Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana and Zach Galifianakis. It didn’t do very well in the theatre but it looks cute.
2025
The phrase appears as the title of the ending theme song “Missing Link” for the show Ultraman Omega, which was released in mid-2025. Missing Link is performed by MindaRyn feat. ASH.
MindaRyn is a trilingual singer and former YouTuber who rose to fame for covering anime songs. Since her professional debut in 2020 under Lantis, she has performed theme songs for a host of anime and Ultraman series, including Ultraman Omega.
The song features the performer ASH, and mixes emotional pop vocals with this rock-edged intensity. Most of the lyrics are in Japanese with some English throughout. Here is a rough translation of the opening stanzas,
Quote
Missing Link, missing link
just connecting isn’t enough
You won’t notice the feelings overflowing from it
The true meaning that once I believed in, shining in my heart
I look up at the full moon and grasp it so it won’t disappear
In the chaos, search for proof of your existence
Let’s project the dazzling light onto ourselves
Slice through the darkness
The faith of friends who live alongside us
Stand up! Push forward and break through
The rules that were set aren’t rails to follow
Proof is your own truth
End quote
https://youtu.be/QvpIEmaI58c?si=_pT1LQf_tqmZKi63
Ultraman is sort of like Power Rangers—it’s live-action, has superheroes with special powers, lots of monster battles, and a team of humans working together. You could also liken it to Godzilla movies or Pacific Rim for the giant monster fights, but with a regular hero (Ultraman) who transforms to fight. It’s a mix of superhero action, sci-fi, and kaiju spectacle.
The song title nods to the hero’s role as the “missing link” between humanity and cosmic forces. I really like this song. It’s got a great vibe. I like how it alternates styles and it’s got some really great rhythms. I listened to several songs by MindaRyn and now I’ve added her to my play lists.
Dan:
I also have one I wanted to mention. Missing Link is a fangame made somewhere around COVID times that links Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask in the Legend of Zelda series.
https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/5334/
Wrap up:
As an anthropologist, I find this phrase especially fascinating. It’s got twists and turns, drama, intrigue, even a decades-long hoax that fooled nearly everyone. All the pieces of an epic tale — except the whole idea rests on a misinterpretation. In a way, the concept has its own missing link.
That’s what makes the phrase so fun to me. It’s broadly applicable yet still carries a specific meaning. Most of the time it’s neutral, unless it’s aimed at a person — in which case “the missing link” is just a fancier way of tossing out an insult. But beyond that, it’s a flexible, lively term. I love how people have used it in so many ways, almost from the moment it appeared. It can point to something literal, like a real piece in a physical chain that makes everything stronger and more cohesive. Or it can be entirely metaphorical, describing that intangible quality that ties otherwise unconnected ideas together. It fills either need, so it really is the missing link.
Shauna:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included, reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod, or comment on our website, bunnytrailspod.com
Dan:
It’s poll time!
Recently we asked our Patrons, would you rather have the hiccups for the next 3 months? Or spend the next 3 months feeling like you need to sneeze but can’t?
“Feel like sneezing, but can’t” won with 86% of the vote.
Cheryl says what everyone initially thinks about it:
Quote
They both sound absolutely horrible
End Quote
JGP said:
Quote
Hiccups could make sleeping really difficult. I wouldn't like to feel like I had no sneeze but couldn't for three months, but I'd take it over not being able to sleep.
End Quote
I agree, because I hate having the hiccups. Also, I feel like the implication made here is I will not sneeze for the next 3 months. Even if I felt like I needed to sneeze the change in actually not sneezing might be an improvement. I'll take that option.
Shauna:
Mary came in with a dissenting opinion:
Quote
I can sort of control hiccups but that sneeze feeling is miserable!
End Quote
For me… hiccups. 100%. I might get a little crazy or something… but I think I’d just stop functioning if I never got to sneeze but felt it try to be there for that long… Though, I’ve had hiccups for days in a row before so at least that’s a known thing for me. Oof… the not sneezing, though… brutal.
Dan:
Emily added:
Quote
I’m a musician. Hiccups would interfere with my job!
End Quote
The hiccups would get in the way of my teaching, for sure
Allan had a similar thought:
Quote
Same here! I can't very well teach with constant hiccups, and my voice lessons would be a complete waste of money.
End Quote
As a reminder, our silly polls mean absolutely nothing and are not scientifically valid. And patrons of all levels, including our free tiers, can take part. Head over to patreon.com/bunnytrailspod to take this week’s poll!
Outro
Dan:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember,
Together:
Words belong to their users.
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