Chapter Summary: The Evolution Of The First Human Grandfather

Human evolution: the study of how and why our human ancestors changed over millions of years.

Professor David Lordkipanidze presented some highly interesting information regarding our ancestry as humans. He is an internationally renowned scientist and paleontologist, and it was a great privilege to hear about his work in the Dmanisi where he led the discovery and analysis of the earliest human found outside of Africa.

The earliest stage of human evolution came to be found in Africa. Human history began about 7 million years ago and came from a descendant of the gorilla line. These early humans known as Homo erectus dispersed to different continents and started colonizations. Since every human being came from the same background it supports diamond’s theory that different human intellectuals wasn’t the cause of different advancements. As the inhabitants of Africa started to create new tools Europe and Asia began to follow this trend. As of some 400,000 years ago, Cro-Magnons in Europe developed modern skeletons, superior weapons, and other advanced cultural traits, a sign human evolution.

New calculations to establish when the gorilla, chimpanzee and human lineages diverged are now possible. By combining data on DNA-sequence differences between species with estimates of DNA-mutation rates operative millions of years ago, Scally and colleagues calculate the human-chimpanzee and (human+chimpanzee)-gorilla branch points to be 3.7 million and 5.95 million years ago, respectively. These dates conflict with some fossil evidence, but more complex calculations that allow for mutation rates that change with time--a reasonable possibility owing to changes in the average length of generations and other parameters--may resolve this problem.

In this chapter, Diamond examines if humans on one continent had an advantage over others by examining the evolution and spread of humans to other continents. Diamond first examines human origin around 7 million years ago when a population of African apes evolved into some of the earliest humans. This evolutionary process occurred and remained in Africa until around 1.5 million years ago when Homo erectus spread beyond Africa. By about .5 million years ago, human populations had differentiated with Neanderthals in Europe, relatively modern structured humans in Africa, and humans different from both in East Asia. It wasn’t until 50,000 years ago when biologically and behaviorally modern humans ,the Cro-Magnons , appeared did humans advanced from crude stone tools to multipiece tools, sewn clothing, arts, and boats.

Modern anthropologists and paleontologists are in relative agreement regarding how long modern humans, Homo sapiens, have been in existence. According to mainstream science, the popular belief is that the cultural and technological history of our species is confined to the past 12,000 years. This figure is a culmination based on what we know about evolution and what we have been able to gather through fossil analyzation and dating of artifacts and human remains. Although the subject of human antiquity, also referred to as human origins, does not prompt a great deal of debate there may actually be the need for some. A reexamination of that humans have only existed a mere 12,000 years should be done as there may be evidence to support a

Masters of the Planet is organized historically, and traces the diverse and complicated history of hominids over the past 8 million years. The book begins with the ancient origins of the hominid lineage, it outlines the rise of bipedal apes beginning with Australopithecus (including “Lucy”), the harsh life on the savannah, the multiple emergence from Africa, the spread of early "Homo" throughout the Old World continents, the misunderstood Neanderthals (our distant cousins) and finally the arrival of modern Homo sapiens.

Human used to be monkeys and evolved as time went by. Humans did not evolve from the monkeys that are around us today, they are our cousins. As the habitat changed and their was less trees for us to climb, we started to walk on two legs to be able to run from danger. Australopithecines were the first human evolution. They walked on two legs and were not that tall. They had larger brains than the modern Chimpanzies.Homo habilis came next and had way bigger brains than Australopithecines. They started using rocks to cut things. Next was the Homo ergaster. They had bigger brains and were the ones who started traveling and adapting to new environments. Also Homo ergasters may have been the first people to try to make fire. They started making

This chapter starts from the beginning, explaining the evolution of the first human ancestors, seven million years ago. Our closest living relatives are the gorilla, chimpanzee, and the bonobo. We all originated in Africa, the first to leave being the Homo erectus. Neanderthals have always been depicted as brainless, wild, careless creatures, but evidence shows they actually cared for their sick and buried their dead. "The Great Leap Forward" is what Diamond calls the earliest signs of standardized tools, jewelry, bone tools, and more. This great leap was 50,000 years ago. Also at this time is the spread of hominids to New Guinea and Australia. Large animal species that were not evolved to defend themselves against such predators were wiped

Although modern humans are of the only surviving ancestors in today's society other groups of early humans did used to walk where we walk. Which is why the greatest mystery and biggest question of human evolution is what happened to the Neanderthals. Neanderthals were the early group of humans who used to live in Europe and Asia thousands of years before Homo-Sapiens took over the world population. Many believe Neanderthals died off leaving nothing behind but scientist have provided that most humans have neanderthal DNA within them. Leading people to believe that our ancestors had interbred with Neanderthals. As Neanderthal DNA is 99.7 percent identical to modern human DNA providing that Neanderthal genes continue to lurk on within modern

read for my book report. Roger Lewin is a British award-winning science author and writer of 20 books. He was employed at New Scientist in London for about nine years. He went to Washington, D.C. to write books and other pieces for science for ten years as news editor. The book by him that I chose, in 201 pages, this book explained answers to questions like where and when modern humans first appeared, what features distinguish modern humans, who our immediate ancestors were, and many more. For example, the subtopics are; the African origin, the multiregional origin, the archeology of modern humans, language and modern human origins, symbolism and

According to physical evidence, and theories, scholars have concluded upon a whole hypothesis. Based on their knowledge and belief, modern humans diverged from Homo sapiens between 200,000 and 150,000 years ago specifically in Africa, that between 125,000 and 60,000 years ago members of Homo sapiens left Africa, and that these

Many scientists believe that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all people originated from apelike ancestors. Humans evolve over million years ago to have these distinct human traits, ability to walk, a complex brain, and ability to make and use tools. Humans are closely related to primates for physical and behavioral traits. Humans and apes had a common ancestor that lived 6 million to 8 millions years ago, but humans evolve differently in Africa. Many Scientist found 15 to 20 different species of early humans. Scientist don't know how they died out, which is related, how to identify them, to classify them, and what factors made them evolve. Early humans migrated out Africa throughout all parts of the world between 1 million to 2

Human evolution according to research started over 6 million years ago. The outcome of the evolution process is the current human beings. Scientific studies have revealed over the years a remarkable affinity between the chimpanzees/Apes and human beings. Even though this reality is not a definitive prove that human beings evolved from apes, it does show that the human beings are in one way or another related to other primates. Scientists suppose that the humans and the primates shared a common ancestor. The subject of what makes humans what they are and their origin has been the exclusive purpose leading to many scientific studies globally (Coolidge & Wynn, 2011). Studies believe that Africa was the origin of evolution millions of years ago. Fossil remains have been discovered in different parts of Africa as well as other regions of the world. Different hominins have been discovered around the world in the last 1 million years. Thus, the different discoveries have led to comparisons between the various species of hominins to clarify on their similarities as well as differences. This essay seeks to explain whether they were distinctively different species or regional versions of the same species.

Human evolution is the gradual process in which people, or Homo sapiens, originated from apelike ancestors. Scientific evidence, particularly in the form of fossils and secondary remains, show that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all people evolved over a period of approximately six million years. Humans are primates. Both genetic and physical similarities show that humans and the great apes (large apes) of Africa, chimpanzees (including bonobos, or so-called “pygmy chimpanzees”) and gorillas share a common ancestor that lived between 8 and 6 million years ago. The volume of fossils found in Africa suggests that most evolution occurred there and is likely the place of origin for early humans. This brings to fruition the “out of Africa” theory, also called the “single-origin hypothesis.”