Essays on Australopithecus

[Class Title] The human species is believed to have come from hominids, a member of the primate family where the human species is believed to have originated from after a lengthy process of evolution. The Anne and Bernard Spitzer Hall of Human Origins present this unique history of human evolution through fossils. The exhibition covers millions of years of human evolution presented through innovative displays. One of its notable exhibits is the famous ‘Lucy’ skeleton, which was unearthed in Ethiopia by a joint American and French paleoanthropologist team sometime in 1974. The museum also showed partial skulls of the ‘ ...

The gradual change in human structure, genetic composition, and anatomy over a period of time is called human evolution. The process of evolution dates back to six million years ago when the ancestors of modern human beings underwent simultaneous and gradual body changes. These changes were passed from one generation to another coupled with modifications. Modifications in genetic structure come by as a result of adaptations. Organisms usually undergo adaptations to help them reproduce or survive certain conditions in their habitat. Individuals inherit the most desirable characteristics from their ancestors that enable them survive and reproduce successfully. Those who ...

Abrigo do Lagar Velho is a rock-shelter in the Portuguese valley that is famous for the stratigraphic range of the Upper Paleolithic human occupations within that area.

Absolute dating technique (chronometric dating) refers to the process of revealing the age on a certain time scale.

Acclimatization is the response of an organism to a gradual change in environmental conditions by adjusting and sustaining within these changes. Acheulian (Acheulean) is a tool made of stone that had round cutting edges and was used during the Lower Palaeolithic era.

Adolescent growth spurt refers to the sharp growth in height and weight rates t during adolescence.

Aegyptopithecus refers to the extinct primate of the Oligocene Period, resembling a modern-day lemur, whose fossils were found in Egypt. Afar Triangle is the region that is part of the ...

Describe which general fossil primate groups appear and radiate during the following geological epochs: Eocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene. For each of the geological epochs, identify the general primate group that first appears and radiates during that epoch. In addition, give the time range in millions of years for each epoch and provide at least one example of a specific primate genus and/ or species that is representative of each general primate group. 2. List and briefly describe at least five elements of the post-cranial anatomy found in humans, but not in apes, that facilitate efficient bipedal locomotion. Provide specific ...

The evolution of man can be traced back in a time ranging ten million years ago. The development started from a common ancestor, who existed back around five to eight million years ago, who shared the same characteristics with the Orrorin genesis, and the Sahelanthropustchadensis. The development from the Australopithecus to the modern Homo sapiens shows a significant drift in their brain size, increase in body size, a shift in the diet as well as the growth in food expenditure and intakes (Anton & Snodgrass, p 2). The early man was characterized by a continuous increase in brain size, which ...

Question 1: Describe the basis of the principle of superposition as well as why we cannot date a 1 million year old hominid with radiocarbon dating. According to Hull (191), the principle of superposition states that for any layers or sequence of surface-deposited material, a bed is older than the one above it and younger than the one below it. However, this is not always the case since rocks and beds can buckle causing younger rocks to go underneath older bed. Therefore, the principle should be applied critically. Basically, the principle states that younger rockers lie on older rocks ( ...

A Previously unknown species of hominins, Homo Naledi was discovered as recently as 2013, in the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system. Researchers found an extensive collection of fossils, belonging to 15 individuals of the same species. When examined, researchers found that the individuals belonged to a previously unknown species, because their morphology was different than that of other known species of primates. In their description, Berger et al. found that the hominin has unique cranial morphology, although closely related to other species of hominins, human-like adaptations of the hand and wrist, and humanlike foot and limb ...

` The evolution of human beings is closely related to the evolution of the human brain. Brain capacity demonstrates how humans evolved from primitive to modern forms. By examining brain capacity across three different species of primates, namely Australopithecuas Africanus, Homo Habilis and Homo Erectus, it is possible to notice how brain capacity drastically increased, and with it, other modifications also took place, thus allowing modern humans (Homo Sapiens) to evolve into the present form. Based on primary research, this paper will examine brain capacity as a fundamental evolution characteristic, and will trace the transformations which took place from one ...

Did Human Bipedalism Evolve from a Knuckle-walking Ape Ancestor Did Human Bipedalism Evolve from a Knuckle-walking Ape Ancestor

Introduction

The narratives of human evolution are one of the oft-told scientific stories whenever the topic of the origin of man crops up. However, this topic is also one of the thorniest and most highly contentious. There are major disagreements in the manner in which man first came to be, and every interpretation of almost every new find on the matter will be sure to find opposition among scholars on the field (Harcourt-Smith & Aiello, 2004). While there are numerous causes of disputes ...