Joanna+Pride

 Human Evolution

Imagine having a small brain and looking completely different than you do now. Well you once were very different from who you are now and overtime we evolved. This is proved by some of the fossils that have been found. These fossils help to explain apes and humans. The chimpanzee is our closest living relavtive. Scientists think that this all happened between 6 and 30 million years ago. [|Human Evolution Timeline Picture]

Let me tell you about binocular vision. This is when the eyes of something are at the front of the head and they can see three-dimensional. Chimpanzees also have opposable thumbs. These thumbs allow primates to grab certain things. Most primates (with an exception of the human) also have opposable big toes. Now, I would like to talk to you about bipedalism. Bipedalism means walking on two feet. It is also the main difference between hominids and other primates.

There have been many fossils found that prove that there were at least 18 types of hominids. The earliest ancestor had characteristics that were similar to those of an ape and a human. These were to be able to walk on two feet, flatter faces, smaller teeth and bigger brains. Scientists found a skull in Africa. This skull found is thought to be 6 or 7 million years old. So, the scientists have come to a conclusion that the evolution of hominids started in Africa.

The earliest hominids were known as australopithecines. These hominids had similar features to those of an ape, but they were also different in other ways. This type of hominid had brains that were a little bit larger than those of an ape. Australopithecines climbed trees and walked on two legs. There were footprints found in Tanzania, Africa. These footprints are 3.6 million years old.

Guys keep on reading because now you are going to learn more about australopithecines. They have skinny bodies and jaws and teeth that were similar to those of humans. Their skulls however are similar to apes. Australopithecines most likely lived in forests and were vegetarians. This means that they most likely didn’t eat meat, but instead they ate vegetables.

Later another type of hominid formed. It formed around 2.4 million years ago. They were similar to the australopithecines, but these new hominids were very similar to a human. This new type of hominid was part of a group called homo. It had more complex brains, flatter faces and rounder skulls compared to the earlier hominids. The homo performed more advanced ways of making tools and they could also walk on two feet. Evidence found in fossils tells us that people in the homo group lived during the same time period, but on a few different continents. The homos are thought to have been gatherers who ate many different foods.

The most recent hominids lived about 30,000 years ago. These hominids had the largest brains out of all other hominids. They were able to make clothing, tools and art. Scientists think that modern humans evolved from the Neanderthals. Neanderthals lived in Europe and Asia. This type of hominid might have lived around 230,000 years ago. These people hunted, created fires and wore clothing. One thing that is very interesting is that they cared for the sick and the elderly. Then about 30,000 years ago Neanderthals were never seen again.



Modern humans were part of a group of species called homo sapiens. Homo sapiens lived in Africa about 100,000 to 160,000 years ago. They moved out of Africa between 40,000 and 100,000 years ago. The difference between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens is that Homo sapiens have smaller and flatter faces. Homo sapiens have skulls that are rounder compared to the Neanderthals. Homo sapiens did many wonderful things including art, sculptures, carvings, clothing and paintings. By the looks of the villages and burials grounds of these early humans it is proved that they had a very complex and organized society.

Other Cool Websites: Check out the hominid family tree: http://www.franklin.k12.ma.us/~coreyj/familytree.jpg Click here to play a game: [|Evolution Game] Click here to learn about an anthropologist named Mary Leakey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Leakey To learn more about human evolution click here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/humans/humankind/index.html Want to learn more click here: http://anthro.palomar.edu/primate/prim_8.htm

Images: http://www.primatestore.com/clipart4.htm http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn238/DianaDaixD/monkey_cartoon4.gif http://www.9676711.com/Images/CornerMonkey.gif http://www.cryptomundo.com/wp-content/JohorHominidSquatting.jpg http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.franklin.k12.ma.us/~coreyj/familytree.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/horace/grade6/corey/ss1/human.htm&h=2252&w=2390&sz=333&hl=en&start=8&sig2=mby_TO1mot-0cfLqkVfpgg&um=1&usg=__63iZuPAptu6ySbyo47Tjn-09srQ=&tbnid=eSIMs9wnxxdvoM:&tbnh=141&tbnw=150&ei=J90ESYj0FIeKed26uKIO&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhominid%2Bfamily%2Btree%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7SUNA