A hominin is a group consisting of modern humans, extinct human species, and all our immediate ancestors. These hominins can be considered a tribe of all primates and a type of mammal, as part of a family or large group of hominids. These typically include orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and last but not least human beings. When we study the past, we can study the patterns of human evolution. The past can be beneficial in many different ways including advancing our medical knowledge; example: learning about genetic disorders. It’s useful particularly in the medical field because the information gained from studying hominins provides information to assist in creating research and advances in neuroscience. These studies all contribute into understanding how humans are closely related to our closest evolutionary relatives and how evolution has come of it.

The diversity of hominins had affected human evolution in many different ways through different characteristics and traits. These traits all combined have closely mirrored the human skeleton and most of our traits from hominin species, however it may not just be one specific hominin species. The diversity amongst the species is what is important and can be related to our make-up of the human body now. Had there not been diversity, humans would not look the same now and it’s interesting to see how much this diversity has played an important role of our genetic and physical make-up of the human body.

One of the traits of hominins that can inform us about modern human biology is bipedalism. Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs or legs. Bipedalism allowed hominids to free their arms completely which allowed them to make and use tools efficiently and stretch to reach good or use their hands for communication. Bipedalism evolved before the large human brain and separated the first hominids from the rest of the four-legged apes.

Another trait is the rapid increase in brain size. Early humans faced new environmental challenges and evolved bigger bodies and larger and more complex brains used to store more information. The brains of hominins don’t fossilize but through the study of fossil trends through time it’s believed that the brain size in the hominin clade increased significantly to our own species, human.

Las but not least we can look at teeth as a hominin trait. As you study hominins there are significant resemblance between the dental remains and how they have progressively been shown to resemble human teeth throughout time. This change is seen through species and through their fossilized remains which shows change throughout the years. This change in the shape and size of teeth varying from species back then can indicate a change in behavior and defense and eating habits. Teeth were often use as a defense tool for other species and as time progresses and change through development is apparent its evident to see that teeth were no longer use for self-defense or used as a weapon as years went on they became much smaller.

Fossilized skeletal remains of the very early human ancestors allow for the ability to research and learn from the past as they are able to put pieces together to create a whole. These fossils teach us more about the diversity of species across the world and through the dates and places in history we can indicate how species interacted with each other and their environment and how it changed over time.