A short overview of bi-pedal mammals
FROM LUCY TO US
A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
WHEREVER FOSSIL EVIDENCE IS SCANT, ONE HAS
CONJECTURE
 THIS CONJECTURE, HOWEVER, IS STILL BASED ON
SCIENCE
 CONTROVERSY EXISTS B/C EVIDENCE CAN
SUPPORT MORE THAN ONE PLAUSIBLE THEORY
 JUST B/C ALL THE FACTS ARE NOT KNOWN ABOUT
A THEORY DOESN’T MEAN IT IS WRONG.


EX: WE CAN’T EXPLAIN ALL ASPECTS OF PLATE
TECTONIC THEORY, BUT WE KNOW IT’S VALID.
A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

SCIENTISTS ARE HUMANS. THIS MEANS:
 EGOS
GET IN THE WAY
 BIASES GET IN THE WAY (PEDAGOGY, SEXISM,
NATIONALISM, RACISM, ETC)

SCIENCE, LIKE MATHEMATICS, IS NOT A
SMORGASBORD DISCIPLINE. IF
SCIENTIFIC/NATURAL LAWS APPLY TO
MAMMALS ON EARTH, THEY APPLY TO ALL OF
THEM (THIS MEANS HUMANS TOO)
A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
HUMANS ARE A CURIOUS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING
SPECIES.
 We either were instantly created out of dust and
breath, out of black & white & blue and yellow
clouds coming together, or maize dough, or
evolved from simple life forms to walk upright with
big brains.
 REFUSING TO USE THEM TO LOOK AT EDGY
ISSUES AND SPECULATE ON THOSE ISSUES—
ULTIMATELY—IS SELF-DEFEATING FOR THE HUMAN
RACE

AUSTRALOPITICUS AFARENSIS

EXISTENCE DATES: ~3.9---~3.0 MYA

NICKNAMES: LUCY

FAMOUS FINDS: PERSON/PLACE/TIME
 DON
JOHANSON, HADAR, ETHIOPIA, 1974 (40 % of
a skeleton)
 MARY LEAKEY, LAETOLI, TANZANIA, 1976 (50
HARDENED FOOTPRINTS)
AUSTRALOPITICUS AFARENSIS
AUSTRALOPITHICUS AFARENSIS

Lucy
Laetoli footprints
AUSTRALOPITICUS AFARENSIS
BRAIN SIZE: ~420 CC.
 MAIN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
 BI-PEDAL
 SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC

 ♀=
3 ½ FEET, 64 lbs
 ♂= 5 FEET, 100 lbs

CONTROVERSIES: SAME SPECIES OR
DIFFERENT THAN AFRICANUS?
AUSTRALOPITICUS AFARENSIS
LIFESTYLE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 ATE ROOTS, PLANTS, INSECTS, FRUIT
 NOT VERY SMART
 LIVED 20-35 YEARS

 JUST
GOT BY!
AUSTRALOPITICUS AFRICANUS

EXISTENCE DATES: ~3.0---~2.5 MYA

NICKNAMES: TAUNG CHILD

FAMOUS FINDS: PERSON/PLACE/TIME
 RAYMOND
DART, SOUTH AFRICA, 1925
 (skull from a ~3 year old child)

AUSTRALOPITICUS AFRICANUS
BRAIN SIZE: 450 CC.
 MAIN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: BASICALLY
THE SAME AS LUCY
 LIFESYLE/CHARACTERISTICS: BASICALLY THE
SAME AS LUCY
 CONTROVERSIES: SAME AS AFARENSIS

DART, TAUNG CHILD, &
CAVE SITE
A. AFRICANUS
“MRS. PLES” FOUND IN STERFONTEIN SOUTH AFRICA
HOMO HABILIS—THE 1ST HUMAN SPECIES!

EXISTENCE DATES: ~2.8---~1.5 MYA

NICKNAMES: HANDY MAN

FAMOUS FINDS: PERSON/PLACE/TIME
 LOUIS
LEAKEY, OLDAVAI GORGE, TANZANIA, 1960’S
 ALSO NEAR LAKE TURKANA & STERFONTEIN, S.
AFRICA
LEAKEYS AT WORK
HOMO HABILIS: PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
BRAIN SIZE: 600-650 CC (ABOUT 20% BIGGER
THAN AUSTRALOPITHICINES)
 BI-PEDAL
 SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC
 ♂--4 FEET, 70 LBS
 ♀--5.3, 114 LBS
 GOOD GRASP PRECISION
 LONG ARMS

HOMO HABILIS: LIFESTYLE &
CHARACTERISTICS
NOMADIC SCAVENGERS WHO ATE:
 ROOTS, VEGETATION, FRUIT, MEAT, BONE
MARROW (V. IMP!)
 MADE & USED STONE TOOLS, KNEW ROCK
PROPERTIES (OLDOWAN TOOL KIT)
 MAY HAVE USED FIRE, DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO
MAKE IT
 PROBABLY DID NOT BUILD SHELTERS

*BASIC FLAKING
*ONE SIDE ONLY TO GET SHARP
EDGE
OLDOWAN TOOL KIT
HOMO HABILIS: CONTROVERSIES

WERE THEY THE 1ST TO USE STONE TOOLS?

DID HABILIS EVOLVE INTO ERECTUS?
HOMO ERECTUS
EXISTENCE DATES: 1.8 MYA-30,000 YA
 NICKNAMES:
 JAVA MAN (INDONESIA)
 PEKING MAN (CHINA)
 H. ERGASTER—W/IN AFRICA

HOMO ERECTUS
FAMOUS FINDS: PERSON/PLACE/TIME
 E. DUBOIS 1891—JAVA
 ANDERSON/BLACK 1927—PEKING
 R. LEAKEY 1984 TURKANA—AFRICA

HOMO ERECTUS





BRAIN SIZE: 750-1250
CC
PHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS:
5 ½ - 6 FEET
ROBUST, 100+ LBS,
SLENDER BUILD
SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC

TURKANA BOY
HOMO ERECTUS: LIFESTYLE







HUNTER-GATHERERS
LIVE IN LARGE GROUPS—
100+
DEFINITELY MADE FIRE
MADE SHELTERS
HAD EARLY (v. PRIMITIVE)
FORM OF LANGUAGE
1ST PLANNED STONE
TOOL (HAND AX)
(ACHEULIAN TOOL KIT)
MAINLY RIGHT HANDED
1st OUT OF AFRICA
 ZHOUKOUDIAN CAVE:
250,000 YEARS OF
CONTINUOUS USE
(100,000 ARTIFACTS)


HOMO ERECTUS: SPECIAL STUFF
Some of the
animal bones
found in the
cave
HOMO ERECTUS: CONTROVERSIES

WHY DID ERECTUS LEAVE AFRICA?

DID THEY MAKE BOATS?

WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?

DID COOKING LEAD TO FEMALE COMPETITION OR
SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL CHANGE IN HUMAN
LIFESTYLES?
HOMO HEIDELBERGENSIS
EXISTENCE DATES: 750,000-350,000 YA
 NICKNAMES: NONE (1ST EUROPEANS)
 FAMOUS FINDS: 1907 A WORKMAN IN THE
SANDPITS AT HEIDELBERG, GERMANY
 BRAIN SIZE: 1100-1300 CC
 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: LIKE NEANDERTAL
 LIFESTYLE: HUNTER/GATHERERS; LIVED IN CAVES,
ACHEULIAN TOOL KIT

HOMO HEIDELBERGENSIS

SPECIAL STUFF:
BOXGROVE ENGLAND FOUND 100’S OF UNUSED HAND
AXES—BIG MYSTERY
 ALSO LIVED IN AFRICA


CONTROVERSIES:
IN EUROPE: IS THIS THE DIRECT ANCESTOR OF
NEANDERTAL?
 IN AFRICA: IS THIS THE DIRECT ANCESTOR OF US?
 IS H. antecessor A SEPARATE SPECIES?
 MAY PRACTICED CANNABALISM, BUT WHY?

HOMO NEANDERTALENSIS:
300,000-27,000 YA
NICKNAMES: CAVE MAN
 FAMOUS FINDS: 1856 NEANDER VALLEY;
MIDEAST AT: TABUN CAVE, ISRAEL & SHANIDAR
CAVE, IRAQ

HOMO NEANDERTALENSIS

BRAIN SIZE: 1765-1900 CC
MAIN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
 5’3”-5’6” STOCKY & MUSCULAR; SHORT LIMBS
 LARGE FACE, HUGE NOSE
 “POWER STRENGTH”: SHORT BURSTS OF
SPEED AND POWER CONCENTRATED IN SMALL
AREA

COMPARISON OF NEANDERTAL (L)
WITH SAPIENS (R)
HOMO NEANDERTALENSIS: LIFESTYLE
MAINLY HUNTED: 85-90% OF DIET = MEAT
 DEER, WOOLLY RHINO, MAMMOTH, BISON,
HORSE
 DROVE PREY OVER CLIFFS
 KILLED UP CLOSE & PERSONAL (THEIR BONES
PROVE THIS)
 MOUSTERIAN & LEVALLOIS TOOL KIT(CHANGES
TO CHATELLPERRONIAN AFTER THEY MEET US)

HOMO NEANDERTALENSIS
HOMO NEANDERTALENSIS

Variety of tools
Tools changed after they met us
 Smart enough to copy

BURIED DEAD W/ FLOWERS
& STONE TOOLS
 HAD MUSIC (STORK LEGS)
 BASIC JEWELRY
 NO ART (but then again . . .)
 MADE FIRE WITH FLINT
AND STEEL

HOMO NEANDERTALENSIS: SPECIAL
STUFF
HOMO NEANDERTALENSIS:
CONTROVERSIES
HOW DID THEY DIE OUT?
 DID THEY MAKE CAVE ART?


WHAT USED TO BE A CONTROVERSY ISN’T
ANYMORE—THEY DEFINITELY MIXED WITH US
 SOME
HOMO SAPIENS HAVE UP TO 5%
NEANDERTAL DNA IN THEM
HOMO SAPIENS: US
EXISTENCE DATES: 175,000 YA—PRESENT
(PROBABLY 200,000 YA)
 NICKNAMES: THINKING MAN; CRO-MAGNON
(IN EUROPE)
 FAMOUS FINDS: CRO-MAGNON, FRANCE;
KLASIES RIVER MOUTH, SOUTH AFRICA; TABUN
CAVE, ISRAEL; AUSTRALIA

HOMO SAPIENS: PHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS
BRAIN SIZE: 1350-1600 CC
 LOOKS just LIKE US, B/C IT IS US

HOMO SAPIENS: LIFESTYLE/CULTURE
HUNTED & GATHERED
 PLANTED CROPS ~ 9,000 B.C.
 DOMESTICATED ANIMALS W/IN A FEW
THOUSAND YEARS OF THAT(wolves ~30,000)

HOMO SAPIENS: LIFESTYLE/CULTURE
CREATED CAVE ART & PAINTINGS: LASCAUX,
CHAUVET, ALTIMIRA (IN FRANCE & SPAIN)
 MUSIC
 SCULPTURE

HOMO SAPIENS: LIFESTYLE/CULTURE
MEASURED TIME
 BURIED DEAD
 1ST “PLANNED ARCHITECTURE”

HOMO SAPIENS: SPECIAL STUFF
SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE (& regular language far
superior to Neandertal—biggest difference &
probably reason for their decline)
 PRESSURE FLAKED TOOLS
 ATLATLS, BOWS & ARROWS, BOOMERANG,
HARPOON,
 NEEDLES: SEWED CLOTHES AIR/H20 TIGHT
 DIFFERENT SEXUALITY

HOMO SAPIENS: CONTROVERSIES
Multi-Regional Model: Erectus left Africa around 1
million YA and went east to a variety of habitats
and regions. Eventually though adaptive change,
behavioral contact, and lots and lots and lots of
gene flow, they evolved into h. Sapiens
 Out Of Africa Model: Erectus left Africa aound 1
million YA and h. Sapiens left around 100,000 YA
to a variety of regions. Either through
outcompeting or killing off Erectus & Neandertal,
h. Sapiens became the sole human species
eventually.

HOMO SAPIENS: CONTROVERSIES
HOW DID WE COME TO BE? Were we created
on the 6th day or evolved over 6 million years?
 WHAT WERE OUR INTERACTIONS W/
NEANDERTAL LIKE?
 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF CAVE ART?
 MULTI-REGIONAL MODEL OR OUT OF AFRICA
MODEL?
 HOW DID WE MAKE THE LEAP FROM 15,000 YA
TO 5,000 YA?

15,000 YA
3,000 YA
A blink of an eye in time separates these 2 buildings …
same intent, vastly different technology
1200 AD
1990’s AD. . .
SUMER: CUNEIFORM TABLET
SILICONE VALLEY: APPLE TABLET
a few thousand years of distance . . .
LAETOLI: 3.6 MYA
MOON: 1969
HOMO SAPIENS: the future
Ice ages come.
 Ice ages go.
 existence on this planet has never been easy for
ANY life form that has lived on it.
 nothing is guaranteed.
 remember the only two things humans control:
 attitude.
 effort.
 Use all your gifts wisely while here, for they came
at a huge species cost (we stand on the shoulders
of giants, on our way to becoming giants . . .)
