Question

Explain how humans evolved over the past 7 million years, Include the names of relevant species that are in our lineage and the particular attributes that they possessed.

Answer 1

Human evolution is a lengthy process in which people have originated from apelike ancestors.The study of evolution is called paleoanthropology.Humans are not descended from monkeys.But we share common ape ancestor with chimpanzees.Humans evolved along with chimpanzees,gorillas etc.And about 7 million years ago ,all of these shared common ancestor.Before 7 million years ago,humans and chimpamzees had same same ancestor.From the fossils in africa it is clear that the first hominin emerged 7 million years ago.The bones of differerent species showed characters of bipedalism,upright walking and characters that distinguish humans from ape.About 2 million years ago ,more human like Homo erectus evolved and it came out from Africa .Early humans migrated from Africa into Asia during 2 million to 1.8 million years ago.Modern humans populated many parts of worls.They first came to Australia about 60,000 years ago.Within this period agriculture began and civilization started 12,000 yeras ago.Evolution doesn't chamge a single individual.It brings changes in the inherited traits in a population.The stages and timeline of human evolution are listed below:

1.Sahelanthropus tchadensis : Estimated to live 7 million years ago.It is the first known hominin emerged in Africa.Its canine teeth are smaller than earkier apes.They had both ape like and human like features.Ape like features where small brain,sloping face,prominent brow ridges etc.Human like charachters were small canine teeth,a spinal cord opening underneath the skull and short middle part of face.

2.Orronin tugenensis : Another species lived in East Africa baout 6 million years ago.The most important feature is the upper thighbone or femur that showed evidence of upright walking.They probable walked upright with tqo legs on ground and climbed trees too..They had small teeth with thick enamel similar to modern humans.This species was a bipedal

3.Ardipithecus kadabba : Estimated to live 5.8 to 5.2 million years ago.The toe bone from this species points to bipedalism.Thus the ablity to walk on two feets evolved lomg beforeother human traits like big brains.

3.Australopithecus anamensis : Lived between 4.2 to 3.8 million years ago.They lived in parts of East Africa.They had both ape and human traits.Orientation of ankle joint indicated bipedal walking while long forearms and features of wrist bones shows climbing features.

4.Australopithecus afarensis : It is estimated to live about 3.9 to 2.9 million years ago in the Pilocene of East Africa.They are nicknamed as Lucy's species.They are bipedal but like apes have small brain size.Their canine teeth is smaller than humans.They are one one of the longest lived human species.

5.Australopithecus africanus : They lived in Southern Africa about 3.3 to 2.1 million years ago.This species has larger brain and smaller teeth.But have some ape like features like long arms and sloping face .The brain size is ranging from 420 to 500 cc.

6.Homo habilis : They are nicknamed as Handy man and lived in eastern and southern Africa about 2.4 to 1.4 million years ago.They have large brain case ,smaller face anmd teeth.These species are the first to make stone tools.Their brain capacity is between 500cc to 800cc.

7.Homo erectus : This species lived about 1.8 to 110000 years ago.They are the oldest known early humans.They lost tree climbing features.They have long legs and run lomg distances.

8.Homo sapiens : They appear in south west asia around 100000 years ago.tHEY GATHERED AND HUNTED FOOD.tHEY have larger brain size.