Physical Anthropology Flashcards
What is Bipedalism?
The trait of habitually walking on two legs
What is Natural Selection?
The process by which random evolutionary changes are selected for by nature in a consistent, orderly, non - random way
Descent with Modification
When parents have children, those children often look and behave slightly different from their parents and siblings. They descend from their parents with modifications. This happens because of random genetic mutations.
Common descent
Is the idea that all life on Earth is related. Common descent is the belief that we are all descended from a common ancestor.
Hominin
A human or a human ancestor
Fossil
Preserved remains of biological matter
Primatology
Study of Primates
Different indicators of bipedalism
S-shaped spine, a wide, flat pelvis; slanting thigh bone; a double arched foot; and a big toe in line with the heel.
Branches of physical anthropology
Paleoanthropology, Primatology, Human Variation
Paleoanthropology
It is the study of human ancestors based on evidence from the distant evolutionary past.
What does DNA evidence reveals about the Neanderthals
They interbreed with humans and that all populations except Africans have some Neanderthal genes.
Radiometric Dating
A process that is used to determine the age of an object, based on measuring the amount of radioactive material it has
Adaptation
A change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment:
forensic anthropology
Application of physical anthropology to legal cases, usually with a focus on the human skeleton
Charles Darwin
Theory of Evolution
- common decent
- natural selection
- heritability
- decent with modification
American Anthropological Association opinion on race
Race does not exist as a scientific category (it’s a social construct).
Human variation
The study of the physical differences and similarities of existing human populations.
Bullet points How are humans similar from other primates
- The bond between mothers and infants is important for survival in all primate species. Infants must learn much of what it takes to survive.
- Primates have the longest infant dependency period of all mammals. This is usually measured as the time until an individual can successfully reproduce.
- All primate societies have dominance hierarchies and aggression among the males for access to food and females.
- All primates groom one another. They spend a lot of time picking fleas and lice out of one another’s fur. Grooming helps primates reduce stress, and it is also related to dominance hierarchies. The higher the primate in the hierarchy, the more likely he is to be groomed than to groom others.
- All primates communicate through facial expressions, touch, vocalizations, and body language. They play and laugh, show grief, become angry, and become violent.
- All primates have rotating forearms, grasping hands and feet, forward-facing eyes, and relatively larger brains.
Bullet points how are humans different from other primates
- Humans are the only primates adapted to bipedalism.
- Humans have the longest infant dependency period of any primate. On average, we reproduce at about 20 years old, whereas chimpanzees reproduce at 10 years old.
- Humans are the only primates with a symbolic, spoken language and the physical ability of speech.
- Humans are the only primates who live in groups and mate in pairs. Some primates, such as chimpanzees, mate and live in groups, and others, such as orangutans, mate and live in pairs. Humans are the only primates who do both at the same time.
- Humans also develop ideas and beliefs about the world that guide their actions. Humans also have the ability to think and reflect on their own behaviour. They develop complex systems of morality and spirituality that influence and motivate behaviour.
Archaeology
Cultural Anthropology of the Past
This skin colour absorbs more Vitamin D
Lighter skin tones
This skin colour provides protection from ultraviolent rays
Darker skin tones
Pre history
The history of people before writing was invented
Raymond Dart
Taung’s Child, In 1924
Richard Leakey
Turkana Boy, In 1984
Tim White
Ardi, In 1994
Zeresenay Alemseged
Salem, In 2000
Louis and Mary Leakey
Dear Boy, in 1959
Donald Johanson
Lucy, 1974
Mary Leakey
Laetoli footprints, 1976
Race
A social construct
(YES) Do Different Skin Colours Have Specific Evolutionary Advantages?
YES
* All mammal populations in warmer climates have
more melanin (dark pigment).
* Darker skin provides protection from ultraviolet
rays, which can cause skin cancer.
* Lighter skin absorbs more vitamin D, which
allows the body to absorb calcium, a nutrient
necessary for bone growth .
* Humans with lighter skin were more likely to
survive in climates farther from the equator, with
less available sunlight (Ember and Ember, 1 999).
(NO) Do Different Skin Colours Have Specific Evolutionary Advantages?
NO
* There are many fair-skinned Amazonian Indians
and Southeast Asians living at the same latitudes
as dark-skinned Africans.
* Because skin cancer usually affects people
after they have had children, skin cancer likely
had little effect on the evolution of skin colour
(Ja blonski, 2007).
* Many dark-skinned people have lived longer in
Tasmania, at latitudes very far from the equator,
than light-skinned populations have lived in
Scandinavia (Diamond, 1 994).
Heritability
(Individuals pass on traits to their offspring.
variation
(Every species has a lot of variety within it.)
environmental fitness
(Individuals who are better adapted to their
environment will produce more offspring and pass on their traits to the
next generation.)
Selective breeding
breeding organisms with particular characteristics to produce more desirable characteristics
Neanderthal Bullet Points
- Neanderthals were living all over Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia from 150 000 to 30 000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age.
- Their bodies were well adapted to the icy environment; they were shorter, heavier, and more muscular than modern humans and used their bodies in a more rigorous way.
- Their brains are larger than modern humans, measuring about 1450 cm3, about 100 cm3 larger than modern humans.
- Their skulls are shaped differently than those of modern humans, with a protruding nose, heavy brow ridges, large teeth, and a little chin.
- They made and used complex stone and bone tools, and they lived in caves.
How are Neanderthals similar to humans
Similarties:
Both species of humans
Both have neanderthal genes.
Both use make and use tools.
Both are bipedal.
Both have dominance hierarchies and aggression among males.
How are Neanderthals different to humans
Differences:
Neanderthals were well adapted to an icy environment (shorter, heavier, more muscular, etc.).
Neanderthal skulls were shaped differently.
Neanderthal brains were larger.
Neanderthals lived in caves.
Neanderthals went extinct.
