Planet of Life
THE EVOLUTION OF HUMANS
PLANET OF LIFE SERIES: APES TO MAN (film summary to be filled in class)
Humans: Superfamily Hominoidea Family Hylobatidae Family Hominidae Family Pongidae Gibbons Humans Chimpanzees Gorillas Orangutans
Origins
Early apes (ancestors to Hominoids)=Africa, 20 m.y.a (Mc).
To Europe & Asia = 15 m.y.a. (Gigantopithecus early ape) Mc/Plio= first hominids (subfamily)= Australopithecines
Australopithecines
"Lucy": Australopithecus afarensis (Range 4 to 2.3 m.y.a. ) Arboreal but bipedal on the ground broader pelvis chimp like face, slightly larger brain
Emergence of Humans
Fun article: The Pliocene Pussycat Theory
Early Homo: 2.4 m.y.a. = oldest fossil (from autralopithecines) Larger brain, intelligent to survive among predators manufactured tools = Homo habilis. Tools used to sever meat Oldowan culture
Homo erectus: evolved about 2 million years ago. Range to 300,000 y.a (or 50-30,000 y.a.?). First out of Africa: Peking Man and Java Man smaller brain than modern humans Tools, fire, hunters Acheulian culture
Homo neanderthalensis, our cousin: 150,000- 200,000 to 28,000 y.a.
PLANET OF LIFE SERIES: APES TO MAN (film summary to be filled in class)
Humans: Superfamily Hominoidea Family Hylobatidae Family Hominidae Family Pongidae Gibbons Humans Chimpanzees Gorillas Orangutans
Origins
Early apes (ancestors to Hominoids)=Africa, 20 m.y.a (Mc).
To Europe & Asia = 15 m.y.a. (Gigantopithecus early ape) Mc/Plio= first hominids (subfamily)= Australopithecines
Australopithecines
"Lucy": Australopithecus afarensis (Range 4 to 2.3 m.y.a. ) Arboreal but bipedal on the ground broader pelvis chimp like face, slightly larger brain
Emergence of Humans
Fun article: The Pliocene Pussycat Theory
Early Homo: 2.4 m.y.a. = oldest fossil (from autralopithecines) Larger brain, intelligent to survive among predators manufactured tools = Homo habilis. Tools used to sever meat Oldowan culture
Homo erectus: evolved about 2 million years ago. Range to 300,000 y.a (or 50-30,000 y.a.?). First out of Africa: Peking Man and Java Man smaller brain than modern humans Tools, fire, hunters Acheulian culture
Homo neanderthalensis, our cousin: 150,000- 200,000 to 28,000 y.a.