3-2 Journal

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School

Southern New Hampshire University *

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Course

210

Subject

Anthropology

Date

Jan 9, 2024

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docx

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Uploaded by EarlNarwhalPerson768

A topic discussed in chapter ten that I find particularly interesting is the shift from quadrupedal to bipedal locomotion. This rare adaptation, marked by upright posture and changes in skeletal structure, changed the way early hominins interacted with their environments and obtained resources. I am particularly interested in the different theories that suggest why bipedalism was favored by natural selection and just how impactful on the overall story of human evolution this adaptation has been. Learning about the shift from quadrupedal to bipedal locomotion has helped me better understand our place in the natural world. I find the fossilized remains of early hominins to be particularly interesting as they serve as windows into our evolutionary past. The fossil evidence shows us changes such as a more anteriorly located foramen magnum and changes in pelvic shape and limb morphology (Boyd, et.al., 2021). It also allows us to piece together the adaptations that occurred over time and eventually led us to being the habitual bipeds we are today. If I were to conduct research on the shift to bipedalism, I would want to focus on the relationship between it and advanced cognition. Exploring whether there is evidence of a correlation by asking questions like, To what extent did bipedalism contribute to the development of tool use among early hominins ? and Did the adaptation of bipedalism influence communication or social connection among early hominins?. I am interested in the answers to these questions in particular as they seem foundational to the later achievements of modern humans, and I am looking to understand just how impactful this shift was on our evolutionary trajectory.

Reference: Boyd, R., & Silk, J. B. (2021). How Humans Evolved (9th ed.). W. W. Norton. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780393533088

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3-2 Journal

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