Human Evolution

Adaptations Adaptation: Any variation that makes an organism better suited to its environment.

Characteristics of Primates Opposable thumbs- to grab and hold objects like food or tools

Characteristics of Primates Binocular vision- judge distance and depth http://www.museumofosteology.org/museum-education/3/How-to-quotReadquot-a-Skull-Eye-Placement-and-Size.htm

Characteristics of Primates Flexible shoulders- swinging from branch to branch or throwing

Adaptations How do these three adaptations give primates an evolutionary advantage over other types of animals?

Time Line Hominids 4-6 mya Homo habilis 1.5-2 mya Homo sapien Neanderthals 125,000-400,000 ya Australopithicus 2.9-3.4 mya Homo erectus 1.6 mya Homo sapiens Cro-Magnon 10,000-40,000 ya

6 million years ago- a common ancestor with other primates, then we started to evolve separately Hominids 4-6 mya Ate both meat and plants, walked upright, larger brains than chimps and apes. Found in Africa

1. “Ardi” Ardipithcus ramidus (root of the ground ape) 4.4 mya Could move through trees slowly, most likely lived on ground and walked on 2 legs Africa

2. “Lucy” Australopithicus africanus (southern man ape) 3.4-2.9 mya small brain, walked upright, human-like features Africa

Named Lucy because…. Celebrating their find, the anthropologists played “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” over and over again.

3. “Handy Man” Homo habilis 2-1.5 mya Larger brain, tools found nearby Africa

darn

4. “Upright Man” Homo erectus 1.6 mya Larger brain, fully upright stance, possibly used fire Africa, SE Asia, China and possibly Europe

5. Homo sapiens Neanderthals 400,000 years ago Short, heavy bodies with thick bones, small chins and heavy brow ridges. Lived in caves and used stone tools to hunt. Africa and Europe Disappeared about 30,000 years ago

6. Homo sapiens Cro-Magnon 40,000 years ago Similar to modern humans, lived in caves, created art and buried dead. Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia

7. Homo sapien sapien- “wise human” Modern humans 10,000-present day Large brain case, high intelligence, very sophisticated tool builder, written language Found world-wide

Human Migration out of Africa