What was the earliest defining human trait and how long ago did this evolve

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Anthropology

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Apr 3, 2024

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 What was the earliest defining human trait and how long ago did this evolve? Bipedalism, over 4 million years ago  On which continent did humans first evolve? Africa  How many species of early humans do scientists now recognize? 15-20  Our ancestors have been evolving for millions of years, but how long ago did human agriculture and true civilizations begin? Past 12k years  What is paleoanthropology? The scientific study of human evolution, a subfield of anthropology, the study of human culture, society, and biology, the field involves an understanding of the similarities and differences between humans and other species in their genes, body form, physiology, and behavior  Can evolution change a single individual? No, instead it changes the inherited means of growth and development that typify a population  What can scientists estimate about a human upon examining a fossil footprint? Estimates of height, weight, and gait of the humans who made the footprints, which also tell us how many people made the footprints Features of the substrate that the footprints were formed in (was it soft? Hard? Wet? Or Dry?) Aspects of the environment that the humans who made the footprints were living in, especially if there are footprints left by other animals  What early human is believed to have made the footprints at

Koobi Fora, Kenya- homo erectus Laetoli footprints- Australopithecus afarensis prints found at Engare Sero, Tanzania- mostly adult females travelling together  Why is the present geologic epoch referred to as the "Anthropocene"? Because of the scale of human influence  Scientists argue over when exactly the Anthropocene began; what are the 3 points in the human historical activity described in this article which could be considered the start of the Anthropocene? Some say it began with the advent of agriculture, because certain agriculture- related activities, such as rice paddy irrigation and deforestation may have led to sharp rises in concentrations of CO2 and methane as early as 8k years ago. others believe it began with the Industrial Revolution, that our exploitation of fossil fuels and monumental increases in energy use and the population started to push us far enough to show a discernable human influence beyond natural variability. A third proposed start date is the Great Acceleration or the beginning of the nuclear age in the mid-1940s. In this period, not only did our testing and use of atomic weaponry leave a distinctive radioactive signature in the sediments of the earth, but almost all human activities from water use to fertilizer consumption to globalization saw dramatic intensification.  No matter when it began, why is the concept of the Anthropocene significant? It highlights the scale of our impact on Earth. By defining a new epoch, we are declaring that the impact of our activities is global and irreversible. It allows us to unite many different discussions regarding the state of the planet, from climate change to loss of biodiversity to environmental degradation, by identifying the one thing they have in common, they have all been affected by human influence.  Under the section, "State of the Planet," what are the ways human activity has negatively affected the planet and what are some of the incredible human achievements? Finally, what are some of the ways we have become aware of our impacts on the Earth due to these activities? Greenhouse gasses CO2, CH4 (methane), and N2) (nitrous oxide) caused by fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes are increasingly concentrated

in our atmosphere, causing heat to become trapped on Earth and resulting in rising global temperatures. We have created technology to produce high-yielding food crops to support large human capacity, control temperatures within our living spaces, walk on the moon, have leisure time, travel anywhere, cars, ships, airplanes, and cell phone access at ¾ of the world, 60% globally has internet access Scientific methods can helps us comprehend how emissions from vehicles and factories are causing the Earth to wamr, and how that warming will affect everything from sea levels to biodiversity. We can study how the use of certain fertilizers on land will destroy marine ecosystems thousands of miles away. The finiteness of our resources to analyze long and short-term effects of gradual depletion, capacity to create innovative solutions….renewable energy etc.  Has climate change been a feature unique to the Anthropocene?  What gave Homo sapiens the biggest advantage over Homo neanderthalensis ? No, Earth has been/is in a constant state of creation/destruction, past 6 million years  At the very end of this article is a list of questions to consider. Which question at the end of this article is one that for you personally causes most concern? How do we make long-term changes (toward a sustainable future) appealing, feasible, and accessible for individuals, countries, etc, on a short-term scale?  Which early human was that most likely candidate to butcher the antelope? Homo erectus  Which animal attacked the 3 year old Australopithicus africanus , as shown by damage to the eye sockets? Eagle  In this collection, there is evidence of a severe blow to the head of an Neanderthal. Did this injury kill him?

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No, lived to 35-45  Which early human was likely killed by a crocodile in Tanzania? Homo habilis  Which early human was likely killed by a leopard in the area that is now the Republic of South Africa? Paranthropus robustus  What type of oral problem likely caused major pain or even death in the Homo heidelbergensis ? Chronic ear infection or dental disease  The male Homo erectus skull appears to be an early human who lived a long life. What evidence helped scientists to make this conclusion? No teeth left long before he died, must have been cared for  In what year were Neanderthal fossils first discovered? Engis, Belgium in 1829  Which early human is the likely ancestor of both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens ? Homo heidelbergensis  What is the other newly discovered human relative of both Neanderthals and modern humans? Denisovans, 300-400,000 years ago  What is the limitation that prevents comparing the DNA of this newly found early human relative to Homo sapiens DNA? (Recall that modern human DNA has already been compared to that of Neanderthals.)

What was the earliest defining human trait and how long ago did this evolve

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