Human Evolution

 Humans come from the genus Homo, having characteristics of a large brain, walking on two legs (bipedalism), and the ability to use and create tools. When learning to understand modern humans and connect them to past ones, anthropologists struggled to find other criteria for connection that were not based on bipedalism. Eventually, they discovered that brain size was also a key distinguishing factor. Paleoanthropologists and primatologists studied bone fossils from early humans and noticed that they had a larger brain size. They were able to create an endocranial cast, which is an imprint of the interior of the brain case, and noticed that they had brain matter that allowed for more developed speech. The use of tools was also important in forming a connection between modern humans and past humans. Examples of these tools include the Oldowan tool industry, which is the oldest known form of stone tools created by early humans. The tools are difficult to discover in present times, as they are very simplistic and resemble everyday rocks. 

An Oldowan tool. Locutus Borg/Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

The Genus Homo and the Emergence of US 


In the article "How Power Pervades Portrayals of Human Evolution" by Rui Diogo, the author describes how many of our beliefs and understandings today of present humans have aspects of racism and sexism embedded into them. For example, widely known founders of scientific understanding, such as Aristotle and Charles Darwin, had biases against women and minorities that show in their works. Darwin believed men were more evolutionarily advanced than women, and Europeans were superior to other races. Biases are also able to be seen in modern research and developments. For example, when showing depictions of the evolution of humans, many diagrams show early people evolving from darker complections to lighter ones, which is not physically accurate or has any scientific backing. These ideas of sexism and racism in scientific works pollute true knowledge and understanding. 

An example of racist ideas being implemented into the understanding of human evolution by showing white people to be the final step in evolution, with other races only being steps along the way. Mikroman6/Getty Images

How Power Pervades Portrayals of Human Evolution


In the video titled "Are These the Oldest Modern Human Fossils Ever Found?" posted by National Geographic, paleoanthropologists are excavating a site in Morocco where they will soon find homo sapien fossils. They later found that the fossils were dated to over 300,000 years ago. After finding jaw and skull fragments, they were able to predict what early humans looked like. They were surprised to find that they had a close resemblance to modern human skulls. These bone fragments were an important discovery as they will help further our understanding of our early human ancestors. 

The fossils found in the Moroccan excavation site. 

Are These the Oldest Modern Human Fossils Ever Found?


The Ardipithecus ramidus was discovered in 1994 and lived in Eastern Africa. more specifically in Middle Awash, Gona, and Ethiopia. Tim White was an American paleoanthropologist who first discovered the remains and found over 100 more that were similar in the area. The Ardipithecus ramidus were omnivores but stayed away from hard-to-chew foods such as nuts. The enamel on their teeth was in the middle of thick and thin, which can be compared to chimpanzees today, who are suited to consume both plants and meat. The Ardipithecus ramidus has many similar features to apes, while also having many human features, such as diamond-shaped canines and proof of bipedalism. 










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