Quiz 2 (lesson 12) Flashcards
What are the two problems with learning about ancestors from fossils?
Behavior is not (directly) fossilized and fossils are very rare
How long have humans been around?
The oldest fossils of fully formed humans are only 50k-100k years old. That’s only 2500-5000 generations spanning 20 years
True or False: The group that came before humans did not use tools
“False(on the account we dont know). The group before humans(human-like but not humans) australopithecines had hands evolved for manipulation. We don’t know that they didn’t use tools
Only stone and metal tools last but most modern hunter gatherer societies of today have more biodegradable tools than stone ones”
When are things considered the same species?
Things are considered the same species if they can mate and produce offspring and those offspring can mate and produce offspring
How do we know what is our ancestors?
“We know our ancestors due to a mitochondrial eve which is the most distantly historical figure that is the ancestors of all humans. Mitochondria are weird, they have their own DNA. They were probably once a parasite
In the mothers egg cell the mitochondria replicates itself. Fathers have no part
We can follow mitochondrial DNA back to ancestors”
What is evidence of human evolution?
“Proof of evolution you can find on your own body
- If you put your thumb and pinky together then move your hand up a vane appears. Serves no purpose for humans but its left over due to an evolutionary past
- Goosebumps. Gives insulation to help things keep warm
- Tailbone. We have a small tailbone left over from our ancestors tails”
True or False: Most living things have fossils
False. Most living things have no record at all. It is estimated that 1 in 10 species gets fossilized. Most creatures don’t die in sediment which means most aren’t pushed into the ground and turned into fossils
What is pinkers vision theory for why humans became smart?
“Because we evolved to use vision as a primary sense it gave our brain a lot of machinery that then could be used for other things
Relying on vision is important because it is inherently 3D unlike olfaction
3D thinking requires more brain power”
What is the group living theory for why humans became smart?
“Human beings differ from other primates mostly in terms of their social environments
We evolved smart brains to convey important information
Keep track of everyone else and maintain social connections
Results in a social cognition arms race(who can maintain the most social connections)”
What is the hunting theory for why humans became smart?
“In general carnivores are more intelligent than herbivores.
It takes more brains for a wolf to hunt a rabbit than for a rabbit to hunt a lettuce head. Mental map size
Meat is nutritious. Relying on meat allowed brains to trust that nutrition will be in the environment allowing brains to grow bigger
Big kills encourage socialization. Meat from a wild bull can feed 1000 people. Make a deal with your neighbors so they’ll share with you when they get lucky”
What is the hand / walking upright theory for why humans became smart?
“Walking upright allowed us to exapt our hands for different functions, which could make good use of more intelligence.
Hands allow us to carry things which allow us create complex objects with parts from different geographical locations”
What is cumulative cultural evolution?
Builds on what came before in a positive way
What did the naskapi caribou hunters do?
Naskapi caribou hunters would heat shoulder bones in fire and then read them to see where to hunt next(basically fortune telling). This of course doesn’t actually work but it adds a level of randomness. Caribou would usually try to stay away from humans but they can’t predict the bs fortune telling randomize
“Group Living Theory suggests that:
A) Humans rely on vision and that is a reason we advance in evolution
B)Carnivores are more intelligent than herbivores
C) Walking upright allowed humans to use their hands in more sophisticated manners
D)Human lives differ from other primates due to their social environments”
d
“Bone divination to find herds of caribou is an example of
a) positive feedback loops
b) the hunting theory
c) cumulative cultural evolution
d) evolutionary intelligence”
c
