human evolution Flashcards
evidence of humans in the late quaternary
- Liang Bua limestone cave remains of 9 people
- the hobbit dated 12,000 y/a
what was the palaeolithic?
- old stone age
- defined by use of stone tools
- lower palaeolithic = pre H.sapiens, H. Habilis onwards
middle palaeolithic
H. sapiens
where was the earliest evidence of humans found?
- N of Alps
evidence of first Britons
- 780,000-990,000 y/a
- Goughs cave, Somerset
how was the evidence of the first Britons dated?
using known magnetic reversals and law of super-position with other interglacial deposits
when was the mesolithic?
10,500-6000 y/a
advances in the mesolithic
- stone industry
- microlithic flaked tools and blades
- preserved artefacts
- wide diet, seasonal
- marine and terrestrial animal consumption
when was the neolithic period?
6000 y/a
what was the neolithic revolution?
- domestication of plants
- animal breeding
- pop increase
what did the occupation of Britain depend on?
ebb and flow with glacial-interglacial cycle
when we’re H.neanderthalenisis remains found?
1856
Germany
when was ‘On the Origins of Species by Means of Natural Selection’ published?
1859
who and when were H.erectus discovered?
Eugene Dubois 1891
Animalia
- kingdom
- animals can move on their own
Chordata
- phylum
- animals have a backbone
Mammalia
- class
- chordates with fur and milk glands
primate
- order
- mammals with collar bones and grasping fingers
Hominidae
- family
- primates with relatively flat faces and 3D vision
Homo
- genus
- hominids with upright posture and large brains
sapiens
- species
- Homo with high forehead and thin skull bones
what does Hominid mean?
the Great Apes
what does Hominin mean?
all members of the Homo genus and ancestors
australopithecina
203 Ma
what are Sahelthropus tchadensis?
- chimp/ human features
- brain size comparable to a chimp
- may have walked upright
Australopithecus anamensis
- may have walked upright
- teeth adapted to eating tough food
Australopithecus afarensis
- walked upright
- 1.2-1.4m tall
- brain 35% of H. sapiens
- no stone tools
Homo habilis
- first in Homo genus
- brain 50% size of H. sapiens
- primitive stone tools
Homo ergaster
- small face and teeth
- brain 60% of H.sapiens
- advanced stone tools and handles
- first use of fire?
Homo erectus
- anatomy similar to H.sapiens
- brain 60-70%
- successful c. 2 mil years
- first species out of Africa
- coexisted with H.sapiens
Homo heidelbergensis
- brain 85%
- used tools
- european ones developed neanderthal like features
- African ones evolved into H.sapiens
Homo neanderthalensis
- stocky and cold-adapted
- used advanced stone tools
- social structure and rudimentary
- slightly larger brain than H.sapiens
- dominated Europe
Homo sapiens
- cultural ability
- complex tools
- proficiency in practical and social innovation
- 125,000 y/a, first H. sapiens out of Africa
where did H.sapiens go after Africa?
- Middle East
- S Asia
- Australia
where did they go after Aus?
- europe
- N asia
- Indonesia
how many years did H.sapiens and H. erectus coexist for?
2600-5400 years
problems H. sapiens and H. erectus faced
- conflict
- comp
- interbreeding (copulation)
- climate
copulation
inter-breeding is possible between both species and DNA supports this
eg. modern non-Africans possess ~1-3% Neanderthal DNA
20% neanderthal DNA still represented in anatomically modern humans
where was the centre of human evolution?
E Africa- 10-12 Ma
how has climate affected evolution?
- southerly migration of ITCZ over Africa which was cooler but drier
how has the environment affected evolution?
- tectonics have transformed the region- flat, homogenous to varied heterogenous deserts to cloud forests
- rifting = lake formation
- freshwater fluxes
- ice sheet surges in N Atlantic
