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HUMAN EVOLUTION
Or..
Why we are all Africans.
Earliest Human Ancestors
The earliest ancestors of humans were Australopithecus
All people, past and present are hominids
Hominid means two-footed, upright walkers.
The earliest australopithecines very likely evolved 5 million years ago in East Africa.
Earliest Human Ancestors
The earliest hominid fossils have been
found in Africa.
Current evidence indicates that there were at least 6 species of early hominids, though they did no all live at
the same time.
Australopithecus
MAJOR EARLY HOMINID SITES
FIRST “HUMANS”
Humans are members of the genus
Homo
Modern people are Homo sapiens
However, we are not the only species of humans who have ever lived.
There were earlier species of our genus that are now extinct.
First “humans”
Australopithecus Early human
First “Humans”
Early humans were quite short.
The differences between aus. and early humans are most noticeable in the head.
Humans developed larger brains and smaller faces.
In addition, humans became better in developing tools to aid in their survival.
HOMO HABILIS: First “human”
Homo habilis
Homo habilis means “Handy man” and
lived around 2.0-1.5 million years ago.
It is beginning with Homo habilis that our ancestors finally had brains that were bigger than those of the apes.
Habilis had the ability to make a simple
cutting tool.
This tool would have been very useful for breaking open the long bones of the remains of animals left behind by large
predatory animals.
HOMO ERECTUS
HOMO ERECTUS: standing tall man
The modern human body size began to appear with the next species in our evolution--Homo erectus.
Some Homo erectus left Africa about 500,000 years ago and moved into Asia and Europe.
HOMO ERECTUS
The Erectus discoveries have been
found widespread in Africa, Asia, and Europe
HOMO ERECTUS: “standing tall” man
Below the neck, Homo erectus bodies
were much like modern humans.
With Homo erectus, there was a significant increase in body size compared to earlier hominids.
http://static.flickr.com/42/125226541_b9781e7aea_o.png
Homo erectus were the first species
that learned to control fire.
This meant that they could leave tropical areas and settle in colder climates.
Fire allowed them to cook their food.
Fire also provided protection against
larger predators especially at night.
HOMO SAPIENS: man who knows
All people today are classified as Homo sapiens sapiens,
They first began to appear 130,000 years ago in Eastern Africa
They were in Asia shortly after 100,000 years ago.
They did not appear in Europe until
60,000-40,000 years ago.
HOMO SAPIENS: man who knows
Homo sapiens developed weapons
that allowed them to hunt animals more powerful than themselves.
Homo sapiens were also the first to create art works- paintings of animals
on rocks and carvings of stone, wood or bone.
http://yatin.chawathe.com/photos/2004-03-Africa/html/img_0934.html
“TYPICAL” FIRST HUMAN
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