The Physical Evolution of Humans

1. The Physical Evolution of Humans Marching Toward Civilization

2. Significant Terms • Hominids=humanlike creatures • They appeared about 4 mya and are our early ancestors • Hominids are different from apes because they are bipedal (walk on 2 feet) and they have a larger brain size

3. Bipedalism • Walking on 2 feet instead of being supported by hands • Frees up the hands to do work • Allows development of tools and weapons

4. Quiz Time! • Rally Robin: Work with in a group of 2-3 people • Take turns identifying pieces of information that you remember from the slides • Avoid looking at your notes; if you can’t remember anything, just say ‘Pass’

5. Lucy • Discovered in Ethiopia in 1974 by Donald Johanson • Approx. 3.2 myo • Australopithecus afarensis • Thought this was the earliest common ancestor of all later hominids

6. Update! Who’s Ardi? • Ardipithecus ramidus • Discovered in 1994 in Ethiopia • Previously unknown species; about 4.4 myo (over 1m years older than Lucy) • In 2009, it was determined that Ardi was our oldest human ancestor • Thought by many to be the ‘missing link’ between humans and chimps • Apparently bipedal on land and quadrupedal in trees

7. Ardi’s bones and artist’s impression Thought to be about 110 pounds and up to 4 feet tall

8. Laetoli, Tanzania In 1978, Mary Leakey found footprints of 2 ancient hominids in volcanic ash left from an eruption 3.5 mya Supported the idea that ancient hominids walked upright Thought footprints were of ‘man’ and ‘woman’

10. Lake Turkana, Kenya • Site of discovery by Maeve Leakey of pieces of a bipedal hominid that was about 4.1 myo • Named it Australopithecus anamensis • Apelike teeth; may have given rise to Australopithecus afarensis (hotly debated)

11. Australopithecus Afarensis • E.g. Lucy; found by Johanson in Ethiopia • 3.2 mya • Apelike in appearance—lots of body hair • Jutting jaw, heavy brow, flaring cheeks, strong muscles • 3’6” tall, about 70 lbs. • Males larger than females

13. Afarensis con’t • Tree dweller but bipedal • Lived off fruit from trees • Bipedalism gave them the ability to spot predators more quickly and seek safety • Likely travelled in groups (25-30 members) • Lacked tools or weapons; may have thrown rocks in defense

14. Quiz Time! • Rally Robin: Work with in a group of 2-3 people • Take turns identifying pieces of information that you remember from the slides • Avoid looking at your notes; if you can’t remember anything, just say ‘Pass’

15. Homo Habilis (Handy Man) • Approx. 2.5 mya • Africa • Larger brain and humanlike teeth • Likely the first hominids to develop and use stone tools • May have coexisted along with australopithicenes

16. Homo Erectus • First appeared about 2 mya; Java Man, found by Eugene Dubois was about 700 tya • Africa, Java, China (only a few skulls have been found) • Low-vaulted braincase, massive eyebrow ridge, high bony crests at the neckline • Larger brain than australopithicenes

17. Homo erectus

18. Homo Erectus • Similar teeth to Homo habilis; may have descended from H.h. • Bipedal and could walk completely upright • Likely hunter-gatherers • Used tools made of stone, bone and wood • First species to use fire and to migrate into Europe and Asia from Africa

19. Quiz Time! • Rally Robin: Work with in a group of 2-3 people • Take turns identifying pieces of information that you remember from the slides • Avoid looking at your notes; if you can’t remember anything, just say ‘Pass’

20. Homo Sapiens • “Man who thinks” • 230-450 tya • Remains found in Hungary, Germany, England, France • 2 types: Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon

21. Neanderthals • 230-30 tya • Broad noses and thick eyebrow ridges; low foreheads and lacked a strong chin • Stocky with short limbs • Hunter-gatherers; likely cooperative • Able to make tools and weapons • Likely coexisted for some time with Cro-Magnons

22. Neanderthal

23. Homo sapiens sapiens • Cro-Magnons (named after French rock-shelter where they were first discovered in 1868) • 40 tya • Europe; eventually moved into Asia then the Americas (about 30 tya) • Men 180 cm tall; women 160 cm tall • Similar facial and cranial features as modern n.w. Europeans • Similar lifestyle and skills as Neanderthals

25. Quiz Time! • Rally Robin: Work with in a group of 2-3 people • Take turns identifying pieces of information that you remember from the slides • Avoid looking at your notes; if you can’t remember anything, just say ‘Pass’