We have learned how humans went from a primate to Homo sapiens and how studying that has helped
us understand evolution in biology. In week four, I learned a lot about the differences but more
important, the similarities we share with those animals. I specifically talked about how I found it so
interesting of how we used to be dependent on trees which leads to why monkeys have the grip they
have and tails. This week I further learned that we have evolved with similar traits for survival in the way
we live and how hominin diversity has affected evolution.
There were a few Hominin traits to me that really explains modern human biology.The first trait that I
read about was referring to members of the ape family. The transition to habitual bipedalism is very
interesting. Adapting to the environment was a main factor in this evolution of locomotion. Our human
bodies are built for us to walk on our hands but for the apes survival back then, they had to learn to
adjust to be able to walk on their feet. So obviously, the animals that could not adapt and evolve dies off
which explains why we don’t see those characteristics. It was interesting to see the snap shots of the
primitive hominins. I didn’t know that this meant most of their characteristic were ape like but what
categorized them as hominids was that they were bipedal. It was interesting to see how they also used
the spine location to determine what species these came from as well. This evolving trait helped them
travel faster and longer which was beneficial for their survival.
From these primitive hominins, Sahelanthropus tchadensis which is the first and oldest species linked
the skull from the fossil which looks very primitive. Going back to the evolutionary trait of bipedal, this
can show a linkage of the brain increasing in size that we have today. Most hominin has a small brain
size, comparable to a chimpanzee. Comparing that to our now large human brain, that obviously look
years to develop and change.
Another characteristic is teeth. This was an interesting trait to be use no matter what type of animal,
they mostly all have teeth in difference sizes and shapes depending on their main usage. Apes have
large front teeth for fighting and defensiveness reasons. The teeth have evolved, seeing how ours are
much smaller more used for chewing and breaking down food.
The discovery of these fossils tremendously give us so much information of evolution. It’s amazing to me
how through environmental factors how anthropologist can find parts of fossils and learn so much about
them that lead to great advances for us.