1. Modern Humans

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4. Agenda Primate Characteristics
Evolution Revisited – “The Great Debate”
Micro vs. Macro Evolution
Human Evolution
Neandertal vs. Cro-Magnum
Myth or Reality
Big Foot
Trolls
Origin of Modern Humans

5. Primate Characteristics

6. Primates
Primate evolution began with the Prosimians, small shrewlike animals, in late Cretaceous
Primates – 2 Divisions
Suborder Prosimii
Suborder Anthropoidea

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8. Primate Characteristics
Arboreal Life (live in trees)
Mobile Forelimbs and Hindlimbs
Opposable Thumb
Binocular Vision
Large Complex Brain
Reduced Reproductive Rate

9. Human Evolution

10. Human Evolution Chronology
Paleocene/Eocene: Arboreal Prosimians dominant.
Oligocene: Appearance of monkeys and apes
Miocene: Two ancestral primates evolved as a result of the collision of Africa and Eurasia (Dryomorphs and Ramamorphs). The Ramamorphs (Australopithecines) were the probable ancestors of both apes and humans.
Early Pleistocene: Homo erectus began to populate Africa, Asia, and Europe. These erect-walking hominins had larger brains than the Australopithecines and improved tool-making abilities.
Late Pleistocene: Appearance of Neandertal , which were replaced by Cro-Magnon ( modern Homo sapiens).

11. Human Evolution Ramamorphs (Miocene)
Australopithecines (Pliocene) – “Lucy”
Homo erectus (Middle Pliestocene)
Coexisted
Neandertal, Cro-Magnon, Homo floresiensis (Late Pliestocene)
Homo sapiens – Cro-Magnon (Present)

12. Human Evolutionary Advancement
Bipedalism
Walking on 2 feet:
Precision Grip – Opposable thumb
Encephalization – Growth of the Brain:
Temporal Lobes (Language) &
Prefrontal Cortex (Social Behavior/Decision Making)
Complex Social Behavior
Burying dead/Caring for young
Tool making/Hunting

13. Human Evolution
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14. Human Evolution
Cro-Magnon

15. Neandertal/Modern Comparison
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16. Genus Homo Higher cranial vault and large cranial capacity
Spinal cord physiology indicates more erect posture
Narrower premolars
Shorter row of cheek teeth
Crude tools

17. Tool Evolution
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18. Human’s Distinct Features
Larger, more complex brain
Stand and walk erect
Flatter Face
Teeth are less robust
Capable of manual dexterity

19. Neandertal vs. Cro-Magnum

20. Neandertal vs. Cro-Magnum
Neandertal Cro-Magnum

21. Neandertal

22. Neandertals
1. Neandertals were named for Neander Valley in Germany where skeletons were dated as early as 200,000 years ago.
2. Neandertal anatomy includes:
massive protruding brow, nose, jaws, and teeth;
low sloping forehead;
lower jaw sloping back without a chin;
longer pubic bone;
shorter and thicker limb bones; and
heavier muscles in the shoulder and neck.
Slightly larger brain than that of modern humans.
It is speculated that a larger brain than that of modern humans was required to control the extra musculature.
The sturdy build of Neandertals was likely an adaptation to cold climate; they lived in Eurasia during the last Ice Age.

23. Neandertals
The Neandertals give evidence of being culturally advanced.
Most lived in caves, but those who lived in the open may have built houses.
They manufactured a variety of stone tools, including spear points, scrapers, and knives.
They used and could control fire, which probably helped in cooking frozen meat and in keeping warm.
They buried their dead with flowers and tools and may have had a religion.
Estimated that all modern humans contain 2.5 % Neandertal DNA.

24. Cro-Magnum

25. Cro-Magnum
Cro-Magnons are the olderst fossils to be designated H. sapiens; they were found in Eurasia 100,000 years ago.
Cro-Magnons are named for a fossil location in France and had a thoroughly modern appearance.
They had advanced stone tools and may have been the first to throw spears.
Cro-Magnons hunted cooperatively, and perhaps were the first to have had a language.
They may have been responsible for the extinction of large mammals during the late Pleistocene.
Cro-Magnon culture included figurines carved out of bone and antler, and cave paintings.

26. Myth or Reality

27. Big Foot

28. Origin of Modern Humans

29. Origin of Modern Humans
Two contradicting hypotheses are suggested about the origin of modern humans
Multiregional Continuity Hypothesis
Out-of-Africa Hypothesis

30. Origin of Modern Humans
Multiregional Continuity Hypothesis
Proposes that modern humans originated separately in Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Distinctive continuity in anatomy and genetic variation is expected in each location.
Evolution of modern humans would be similar in several different places.

31. Origin of Modern Humans
Out-of-Africa Hypothesis
Modern humans originated only in Africa
after migrating into Europe and Asia, replaced the Homo species found there; current evidence leans toward this hypothesis.
humans are descended from a few individuals from about 100,000 years ago.
Mitochondrial DNA analyses indicate a close genetic relationship among all Europeans; although the first analysis was flawed, the data tend to support the out-of-Africa hypothesis.

32. THE END