The Animal Molecular Evidence

● and Chimps/ Bonobos share 95% of our DNA in common Chimp. Gorilla Human Bonobos ● The 5% is responsible for the important difference in body, brains and behaviours

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Early Homo Evolution H. Habilis Tools

● Up to 4 species (H. habilis, H. ● Primitive Oldowan Tools rudolfensis, H. ergaster, H. ● Also found animal bones erectus) with scratches from tools ● H. habilis and H. rudolfensis ~2.5-1.5 MYA ● Brain >600cc ● Development of rudimentary tools ● Development of language and rudimentary culture

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Relationship with Large Cats and

● Main predator of ● 1.9-0.5 MYA homonins ● Larger brain ● Caves found with chewed (~1000cc) and height bones (~1.85m) – Mostly , ● Nomadism and but also some coexisting migration out of Homos Africa – Humans were more ● Discovered fire use intelligent and capable of ● More advanced tools group defense developed ● Sabre-toothed Tiger

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

1 Ergaster/Erectus Success Ergaster/Erectus Tools ● Better competitor than earlier homonins ● The first to hunt large ● Acheulian Toolbox animals ● Small axes ● Drove many to ● Stone flakes used extinction as knives and – blades – H. habilis – Sabre-toothed tigers – Mammoths

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Fire and Migration The Hobbit – Homo floresienses ● Homo erectus/ergaster first to ● Discovered recently on use fire Flores Island in S. ● Permitted living in colder Pacific northern climates – North of China ● Small adult size ● Fireplace could have been (equivalent of modern 3 first stable social gatherings year old ) – Communication ● Dwarfism common on – Cultural transmission islands (limited – Community development and stability resources, lack of predators)

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Homo neanderthalensis

● 200,000 - 28,000 YA ● Middle East and Europe ● Prominent face ● Brains larger than modern ● Teeth became very worn humans (1400cc compared to 1360cc) with age (used as tools) ● Lived in caves and ● Thick and strong bodies shelters ● Well adapted to cold ● Had well-developed climates culture – Burials with decorations

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

2 Relationship Sapiens-Neanderthal Neanderthal Tools ● Not purely antagonistic ● style ● Reproductive hybridization – Evidence that Neanderthal DNA found ● Scraper in European populations ● Pointed darts for spears ● Limited hunting abilities, no large ● Copied modern human animals tools ● No fishing (lacked hooks, nets, needles) – Intermediate forms of tools ● Shorter lifespan so cultural – Did not have transmission between generations sophistication of modern was more limited H. sapiens tools

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Neanderthal Extinction X-Y Chromosomes & Genetic Adam

● First human genocide ● Adapted to cold climates, unlikely due to glaciations

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Global Migration of Modern Humans Mitochondrial Eve Siberia 20,000

Eurasia 100,000 Americas 12,000 Hawaii 15,000 Africa Solomons 30,000 Fiji 30,000 Madagascar 1,500 Australia New Zealand 50,000 1,000

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

3 Homo sapiens Pleistocene Extinctions

● ● Modern humans At around ~11,000YA, several species of large ● Emerged approx. 200,000-130,000 YA animals went extinct ● Composite tools ● For the most part, they were well adapted to cold ● Good cooperative hunters climates ● Cooperative culture, ● In Eurasia: Giant Elk, Hairy language and art well- Rhinoceros developed ● North America: Mastodon, Sabre-toothed Tiger

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Pleistocene Extinctions Pleistocene Extinctions

● Himalayas: Giant Ape ● In North America: (Giganthropithecus) – Mastodons ● Possible origin of Yeti/ – Mammoths Bigfoot mythology – Giant sloth – Giant Bison

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Pleistocene Extinctions Humans in North America

● Arrived ~12,500-11,000 YA ● Principal Hypothesis: during glacial period overhunting (Pleistocene (Bering land bridge) Overkill Hypothesis) ● All N.Am. Aboriginals ● Evidence: have relatively – Mostly large and homogenous genetic birds affected diversity due to founder – Extinctions in different places at different times effect – Extinctions correlated with ● Showed susceptibility to sudden arrival of humans European diseases upon arrival of colonists

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

4 Humans in North America Pleistocene Humans ● Excellent group hunters – Mammoths, mastodons, ● Hunters and Giant sloth, Bison gatherers over ● Facilitated extinction of large distances large predators due to ● Required certain lack of prey food (e.g. large cats) amount of nomadism ● Clovis Tools – e.g. Atl-Atl ● Hippocampus well developed due to spatial perception

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Cro-Magnon Artwork Why the Great Leap in Modern Humans?

● Multi-colour cave paintings in Lascaux which ● Factor #1: Language show many animals now extinct – Anatomy of larynx, tongue ● Figurines to model female fertility (Venus) and throat allowed for great ● Instruments: flutes, shakers diversity of sounds – Allowed for instantaneous transmission of information, without reliance on demonstration – More cultural evolution occurred in last 40,000yrs than in previous millions

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Why the Great Leap in Modern Humans? Why the Great Leap in Modern Humans?

● Consequences of ● Factor #2: Changes in lifecycle monogamy and parental – Reduced reproduction care: – Bi-parental care – Community stability – Long lifespan – Development of societies ● Allowed for long periods of ● Advantages to living in learning required for living a groups: complex life – Coordinated hunting – Required much care, protection – Harvesting of fruit, nuts and and teaching plants over greater distances – Better protection from predators

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

5 From Agriculture to Civilization Carbon Cycle

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Greenhouse Effect CO2 and Temperature Increases

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

CO2 and Temperature Increases Historical Variation

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

6 Periodic Glaciations (~2.5 MY) OECD Emissions (1995 & 2009)

● We have been in glacial period since the end of the Tertiary ● Continental glaciations have advanced and withdrawn 17x in the last ~2MY ● Evidence: – Microfossil communities (associated with different temperatures) – Moving coastlines as seas rise and fall (~70m) – Scarified bedrock – Large moraines and rock deposits

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Climate Change Change in Arctic Sea Ice Cover

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

Questions? Change in Arctic Sea Ice Cover

BIO1300 – The Human Animal BIO1300 – The Human Animal

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