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HUMAN EVOLUTION, DEFINTIONS, GENETICS
FOXP2 gene
linked to the…
HUMAN EVOLUTION
cultural evolution
biological:
- changes in genetics
- passing on physical, physiological and behavioural adaptations through transfer of genes
- only occurs between related individuals, from one generation to the next (parent to offspring)
- does not occur within generations
cultural:
- changes due to passing on learning, ideas and knowledge
- can occur between unrelated individuals
- occurs between or within generations
- reliant on the development of communication and language
- accounts for most of the recent significant changes in Homo sapiens
tools
- OLDOWAN
- Homo Habilis
- 5-6 blows
- partly shaped + rough blades/edges
- used to cut and crush food which
- allowed greater access to food which provided larger a protein diet leading to brain development
- ACHEULEAN
- Homo Erectus
- 50 strikes
- tear-drop shaped + whole surface worked
- handaxes to
- dig roots
- hack tree branches
- scrap and cut animal hides
- enables a more regular diet with more food
- defence
- MOUSTERIAN
- Homo Neanderthalensis
- finely worked across entire surface
- smooth sharp edges
- made of hard flint material
- enabled more diverse and specialised tools with sharper blades
- spears for hunting (a lot safer, hunting from a distance)
- awls for punching holes in animal skins for clothing
- UPPER PALAEOLITHIC
- Homo Sapiens
- finely worked tools
- combining a variety of materials
- wood, ivory, antler
- improved clothing, shelters, diet, as well as an increases range and colonisation
- agriculture
-
fire
- FIRE
- Homo Erectus
- fire helped to
- cooking food + reduced disease
- reduction in teeth and jaw muscles
- deterred predators
- aided social interactions
suggests ability to plan ahead
- 1) cooking food results in efficient digestion and increases the available nutrients and energy
- 2) less time devoted to food gathering , processing and digesting
- 3) more time for learning, communicating, planning, experimenting, exploring, hunting, tool making, art and creating bigger families
-
hunting
- HUNTER GATHERER
hunter gatherer - advantages
- less intensive exploitation of the environment
- less pressure on population and species used as food
- less reliance on single/few/limited resources
- less susceptible to contagious diseases and parasites due to lower population density
- hunter gatherer - disadvantages
- FARMING
- farmer - advantages
- steady supply of food
- build up stores for times of scarcity
- animals and plants eaten/harvested at optimal time
- source of animal hides/wool for clothing, shelter, tools
- use of animals for transportation
- trade for other resources
- supports larger population
- farmer - disadvantages
- less diverse diet
- dependence on weather
- increase risk of disease spreading
- increase in pest species (locust, rats)
- time-consuming
-
shelter
- CAVES
- Homo
- stable temperatures for hot summers/cool winters
- BUILT SHELTERS
- Homo Erectus
- temporary seasonal camp
- PERMANENT SETTLEMENTS
- Homo sapiens
permanent shelter - advantages
- increased protection
- enhanced sleep pattern improving brain function and development
- opportunities for complex social inter-actions
- opportunities for passing on knowledge + learning
- opportunities for division of labour
- better survival in extreme environments
- time to develop other skills and activities
- permanent shelter - disadvantages
- transmission of disease
- attract predators
-
clothing
- CLOTHING
- Homo Neanderthals
- use of clothing provided
- warmth in cold climates
- protection from the sun in warm climates
- communicate social identity/status
- communicate tribal identity
-
abstract thought
- LANGUAGE AND SPEECH
- more complex language
- increased cooperation
- more advanced tools
- more successful hunting
- higher quality diet
- brain expansion
- endocranial features suggetsing speech
- brocas region is associated with motor functions involved in forming word sounds
- wernickes region is associated with comprehending vocal sounds and making sense of them
- art
Music
40,000 year old flute from mammoth ivory
Visual art
Examples from 50,000ya (Homo sapiens)
Figurines, ornaments, jewellery
Useful for communication, but suggests for pleasure as well as survival
-
dispersal theories
genetic evidence
- genetic comparisons
- comparing genetic sequences and using the genetic similarities/differences shows how long ago a common ancestor was shared
- DNA
- is not reliable as there are changes due to crossing over in meiosis and sexual reproduction
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
- circular DNA found in the mitochondria
is passed from mother to child only and has a very regular mutation rate
- Y-Chromosome
- found only in males and passed down the paternal line (father to son)
-
-
hominin evolution
ardipethicus ramidus
- age: 4.4 mya
- locomotion: climber + bipedal
- diet: omnivore(woodlands)
- brain: small, 300 - 350
- opposable toes
- short thumbs
- curved fingers
- large valgus angle
- slight S shape spine
australopithecus afarensis
- 3.2 mya
- teeth + jaw ape like
- (H) tibia bipedalism
- (H) long humerus
australopithecus adricanus
-
homo habilus
- 2.4-1.6 mya
- first to make tools
- bigger brains
- bulge in the brooks area (speech)
- more of the skull is behind the foramen magnum
- (A) small brain
- (H) absent sagital crest
- (H) high and vertical forehead slope
- (I) small brow ridge
- (I) intermediate foramen magnum
homo rudolfensis
- 2-1.4 mya
- co existed with homo habilus and homo erectis
homo erectus
- 1.8-0.3 mya
- quick migration
200,000 ears to appear in Asia
300,000 years to appear in Europe
- migration driven by climate change causing a change in
temperature
rainfall
type of habitat
food supply
predator
- bulge in the brooks area (speech production)
- bulge in the wernikes area (speech recognition)
homo heidiselbergensis
- 600-200 kya
- migrated into Europe
- European migrants evolved into homo neanderthalensis
- african active evolved into Homo sapiens
- large brain
- teeth are generally modern in form
homo neanderthalensis
- 350-28 kya
- Europe and W. asia
- robustskeleton
thick bones
powerful muscles
- adapted to survive in cold conditions
- larger brain
genome analysis
- mtDNA sequence indicates inter-breeding between homo neaderthalensis and homo sapiens
- gene flow must have happened in the early migration out of Africa (65-47,000 yrs)
- common ancestor 500-400,000 yrs ago – likely to be homo heidelbergensis
- genes to help fight viral infections
- FOXP2 gene – speech development
homo floresiensis
- 100,000-60,000
Discovered on the island of Flores, Indonesia in 2003
Weight 25kg and 1m tall
Austropithecine sized brain
Skeletal shape of Homo
Found with sophisticated stone tools
H. floresiensis
Small brain mystery
Go against the trend of increasing brain size since the Austrolpithicines
The use of sophisticated tools does not fit with small brain size – may be structure is more important than size
Fossils found with the remains of large prey which suggest co-operative hunting, which implies language
H. floresiensis
Could be a form of H. sapiens with genetic disorder
Isolation on island caused dwarfism – fewer resources, smaller
homo naledi
- human like
skull
hands
legs
feet
- australopithecine like
shoulders
pelvis
fingers
- 1 more item...
DEFINTIONS
arboreal: tree-dwelling, or spending most time above the ground amongst the trees.
bipedalism: walking upright on two legs, or two limbs
cultural evolution: passing on of knowledge from one generation to another through means other than DNA, such as social interaction
-
hominids: group of primates made up of hominins and the great apes, such as gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans and gibbons
hominins: roup of primates made up of humans and our most recent, closely related, ancestors
mitochondrial DNA: small, circular DNA found in the mitochondria of cells, which replicates independently on nuclear DNA
mousterian tools: tone tools often combined with other materials, first used by the Neanderthal
multi-regional theory: persion whereby Homo sapiens evolved from Homo erectus simultaneously in different locations around the globe after Homo erectus left Africa.
-
oldowan tools: tools used by hominins, first used by Homo habilis, made from stones with chips on one side
out of Africa (replacement) theory: disspersion whereby Homo erectus first evolved into Homo sapiens while still in Africa, and then some Homo sapiens left Africa and colonised other locations around the globe
quadrupedalism: walking on four legs, or four limbs
upper paleolithic tools: tools made from a variety of materials, such as animal bone and hide, used by Neanderthals and Homo sapiens
-
-
acheulean tools: advancement of Oldowan tools resembling flattened handaxes, first used by Homo erectus
GENETICS
- FOXP2 gene
- linked to the development of speech and language
BRAIN
- developed specific regions for complex language
- broca’s area = production of language and comprehension
- wernicke’s area= understanding of spoken and written language
SHOULDERS
human
- allows fast and accurate throwing
- clavicles are shorter and straighter
- humerus hangs down away from the ribcage
- scapulas are flatter
ape
- strong and muscular shoulder for brachiating
- clavicles are longer and angled downwards
- humerus hangs down away from the ribcage
SPINE
human
- S shaped spine (shock absorber + keeps weight above the hips)
ape
- C shaped spine (counterbalance the downward force of the organs and chest)
FEMUR + KNEE
human
- femur
- long femur
- femur angled inward from the hip joint
- larger values angle (brings the knees + feet in line with the COG)
- knee
- buttresses at knee joint (prevents sideways movement)
ape
- femur
- shorter femur
- femur hangs almost vertically from the hip joint (allows swinging movement)
- knee
- no buttresses at knee joint
PELVIS
human
- bowl shaped (short and wide) (reduces weight stress + supports internal organs + large width allows babies with larger skulls)
ape
- long and narrow
- large surface area (for leg muscle attachment)
HAND
human
- long thumb (1st thumb metatarsal has saddle joint)
- straight phalanges
- flexor pollicis longus (allows precision movement of the thumb)
ape
- shorter thumb
- curved phalanges (acts as hooks for brachiation)
- no flexor pollicis longus
FOOT
human
- arched foot (shock absorber when travelling long distances)
- forward pointing big toe (gives thrust to the step)
ape
- no arch
- curved toes (help walking along branches)
- opposable big toe (allows it to grip objects)
JAW + TEETH
human
- smaller teeth in U shaped jaw
- no diastema
- blunter cannines
- no sexual dimorphism in canine size
ape
- large teeth in a rectangular jaw
- diastema (gap) on upper jaw for lower canine to fit into
- sharp pointed cannines which are large in males – threat display, fighting, dismembering)
NUCHAL CREST + FORAMEN MAGNUM