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Understanding Human Evolution by Jeffrey K. McKee,Frank E. Poirier,W Scott Mcgraw Pdf
For the one-term course in human evolution, paleoanthropology, or fossil hominins taught at the junior/senior level in departments of anthropology or biology. This new edition provides a comprehensive overview to the field of paleoanthropology–the study of human evolution by analyzing fossil remains. It includes the latest fossil finds, attempts to place humans into the context of geological and biological change on the planet, and presents current controversies in an even-handed manner.
Describes how mapping the human genome has aided paleoanthropologists in their study of ancient bones used to explore human origins, from the earliest humans--bipedal apes--up to Martin Pickford's Millennium Man.
Understanding Human Evolution: And the Nine Human Endeavors - Reveals the Purpose and Meaning of Life by Richard Colter Pdf
For the first time, the age-old questions of how and why humans evolved are explored from the perspectives of evolution, psychology, economics, and the Enneagram. The answers that emerge from this multidisciplinary approach provide new insights into the human condition, including the Nine Factors of Extinction, which were the behaviors responsible for multiple early human extinctions. And the Nine Human Virtues, which are the incumbent principles of modern human behavior. The answers to how and why humans evolved can be found in the depiction of each Enneatype. These depictions account for the Nine Human Endeavors (see front cover), which reveal how every human being is specifically adapted to eradicate one of the Nine Factors of Extinction, along with the specializations, functional adaptations, and general characteristics for each type. This information is indispensable for diagnosing the personality type of any human being. Perhaps most important is the discussion of the evolutionary purpose of every human being, and how that knowledge can be used for personal growth, in ways that are resolute, decisive, and transformative. When this knowledge is used constructively, the actuated potential of the individual is realized, along with the deeply personal meaning of life.
National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Earth Sciences and Resources,Committee on the Earth System Context for Hominin Evolution
Author : National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Earth Sciences and Resources,Committee on the Earth System Context for Hominin Evolution Publisher : National Academies Press Page : 128 pages File Size : 51,6 Mb Release : 2010-04-17 Category : Science ISBN : 9780309148382
Understanding Climate's Influence on Human Evolution by National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Earth Sciences and Resources,Committee on the Earth System Context for Hominin Evolution Pdf
The hominin fossil record documents a history of critical evolutionary events that have ultimately shaped and defined what it means to be human, including the origins of bipedalism; the emergence of our genus Homo; the first use of stone tools; increases in brain size; and the emergence of Homo sapiens, tools, and culture. The Earth's geological record suggests that some evolutionary events were coincident with substantial changes in African and Eurasian climate, raising the possibility that critical junctures in human evolution and behavioral development may have been affected by the environmental characteristics of the areas where hominins evolved. Understanding Climate's Change on Human Evolution explores the opportunities of using scientific research to improve our understanding of how climate may have helped shape our species. Improved climate records for specific regions will be required before it is possible to evaluate how critical resources for hominins, especially water and vegetation, would have been distributed on the landscape during key intervals of hominin history. Existing records contain substantial temporal gaps. The book's initiatives are presented in two major research themes: first, determining the impacts of climate change and climate variability on human evolution and dispersal; and second, integrating climate modeling, environmental records, and biotic responses. Understanding Climate's Change on Human Evolution suggests a new scientific program for international climate and human evolution studies that involve an exploration initiative to locate new fossil sites and to broaden the geographic and temporal sampling of the fossil and archeological record; a comprehensive and integrative scientific drilling program in lakes, lake bed outcrops, and ocean basins surrounding the regions where hominins evolved and a major investment in climate modeling experiments for key time intervals and regions that are critical to understanding human evolution.
Principles of Human Evolution by Robert Andrew Foley,Roger Lewin Pdf
Principles of Human Evolution presents an in-depth introduction to paleoanthropology and the study of human evolution. Focusing on the fundamentals of evolutionary theory and how these apply to ecological, molecular genetic, paleontological and archeological approaches to important questions in the field, this timely textbook will help students gain a perspective on human evolution in the context of modern biological thinking. The second edition of this successful text features the addition of Robert Foley, a leading researcher in Human Evolutionary Studies, to the writing team. Strong emphasis on evolutionary theory, ecology and behavior and scores of new examples reflect the latest evolutionary theories and recent archaeological finds. More than a simple update, the new edition is organized by issue rather than chronology, integrating behavior, adaptation and anatomy. A new design and new figure references make this edition more accessible for students and instructors. New author, Robert Foley – leading figure in Human Evolutionary Studies – joins the writing team. Dedicated website – www.blackwellpublishing.com/lewin – provides study resources and artwork downloadable for Powerpoint presentations. Beyond the Facts boxes – explore key scientific debates in greater depth. Margin Comments – indicate the key points in each section. Key Questions – review and test students’ knowledge of central chapter concepts and help focus the way a student approaches reading the text. New emphasis on ecological and behavioral evolution – in keeping with modern research. Fully up to date with recent fossil finds and interpretations; integration of genetic and paleoanthropological approaches.
A Story of Us by Lesley Newson,Peter Richerson Pdf
It's time for a story of human evolution that goes beyond describing "ape-men" and talks about what women and children were doing. In a few decades, a torrent of new evidence and ideas about human evolution has allowed scientists to piece together a more detailed understanding of what went on thousands and even millions of years ago. We now know much more about the problems our ancestors faced, the solutions they found, and the trade-offs they made. The drama of their experiences led to the humans we are today: an animal that relies on a complex culture. We are a species that can and does rapidly evolve cultural solutions as we face new problems, but the intricacies of our cultures mean that this often creates new challenges. Our species' unique capacity for culture began to evolve millions of years ago, but it only really took off in the last few hundred thousand years. This capacity allowed our ancestors to survive and raise their difficult children during times of extreme climate chaos. Understanding how this has evolved can help us understand the cultural change and diversity that we experience today. Lesley Newson and Peter Richerson, a husband-and-wife team based at the University of California, Davis, began their careers with training in biology. The two have spent years together and individually researching and collaborating with scholars from a wide range of disciplines to produce a deep history of humankind. In A Story of Us, they present this rich narrative and explain how the evolution of our genes relates to the evolution of our cultures. Newson and Richerson take readers through seven stages of human evolution, beginning seven million years ago with the apes that were the ancestors of humans and today's chimps and bonobos. The story ends in the present day and offers a glimpse into the future.
Preface List of Figures List of Tables 1. Fossilisation Patterns of Social Organisation; Taphonomy; Dating Fossils; Methods; Direct Methods; Indirect Methods; Chronometric dating; Half-life; Relative Dating Procedures; Stratigraphy; Fluorine dating; Nitrogen dating; Uranium dating; Absolute Dating Techniques; Radiocarbon dating; Obsidian dating; Fission-track technique; Potassium-Argon dating: Material Used; Period; Thermoluminescence (TI); Palaeomagnetism Technique; Electron Spin Resonance Technique; Faunal Correlation Technique (Biostratigraphy); Dendrochronology; Amino Acid Racemization Technique. 2. Primate Radiation Primate Development; Early Tertiary Period; Miocene Epoch; Parapithecus; Propliopithecus; Limnopithecus; Pliopithecus; Prohylobates; Dryopithecinae; Dryopithecus; Ramapithecus; Rudapithecus hungaricus; Sugrivapithecus; Sivapithecus -- Sivapithecus sivalensis; Sivapithecus himalayensis; Gigantopithecus. 3. Australopithecines Australopithecus - East Africa; Early species; The Robust Australopithecines - The Gracile Australopithecines; Paranthropus. 4. Homo habilis Sites; Tool making capabilities; Social organisation. 5. Homo erectus Bodily Structure of Homo erectus; Origin of Homo erectus; Variations in Homo erectus; Transition from Homo erectus to Homo sapiens; Other Homo erectus Finds; Narmada Man Heidelberg Man (Homo Heidelbergensis); Asian Fossils; African Fossils; European Fossils; Behavioural Inferences; Evolutionary Implications; Gradualistic Views of the Transition to Homo sapiens; Alternative Modes of Species Change. 6. Neanderthal Man The Extinction of Neanderthal Man; Burials; Archaic and Modern Peoples; Physical Characteristics; PreNeanderthal Man (Early Homo sapiens) - Relationship between Neanderthal man and modern man. 7. Modern Men Cro-Magnon; Hunting Techniques; Place in Human Evolution; Culture; Eyziea-de-Tayac Caves; The Tautavel Man; Swanscombe Man; Steinheim Man. 8. Human Evolution The Antiquity of Homo sapiens; Structure of Homo sapiens; Evolution of the Human Skull. 9. Human Origins Dating; African Eve Hypothesis; Ancient Africans, Whose Ancestors?; Early Dispersal and Homo sapiens; Genetic Evidence for Modern Human Origins; The Story of how we became man; Split from the Apes; The Earliest Humans; Modern Humans; The End of Evolution?; Man; But were the CroMagnon Africans?; Cultural Evidence for Modern Human Origins; Rethinking? 10. Molecular Clock Chromosomal Evolution; Chromosomal Homology; DNA; Gene Mapping. 11. Palaeodemography Methodology; Sexing; Ageing; Parity and Weaning Age; Population Size Estimates; Mortality Patterns; Growth; Disease, Diet and Demography; Australopithecus; Homo Habilis; Neanderthals. 12. Palaeopathology Neanderthal Man; Bone Tumour; General. Literature Cited Index
Rethinking Human Evolution by Jeffrey H. Schwartz Pdf
Contributors from a range of disciplines consider the disconnect between human evolutionary studies and the rest of evolutionary biology. The study of human evolution often seems to rely on scenarios and received wisdom rather than theory and methodology, with each new fossil or molecular analysis interpreted as supporting evidence for the presumed lineage of human ancestry. We might wonder why we should pursue new inquiries if we already know the story. Is paleoanthropology an evolutionary science? Are analyses of human evolution biological? In this volume, contributors from disciplines that range from paleoanthropology to philosophy of science consider the disconnect between human evolutionary studies and the rest of evolutionary biology. All of the contributors reflect on their own research and its disciplinary context, considering how their fields of inquiry can move forward in new ways. The goal is to encourage a more multifaceted intellectual environment for the understanding of human evolution. Topics discussed include paleoanthropology's history of procedural idiosyncrasies; the role of mind and society in our evolutionary past; humans as large mammals rather than a special case; genomic analyses; computational approaches to phylogenetic reconstruction; descriptive morphology versus morphometrics; and integrating insights from archaeology into the interpretation of human fossils. Contributors Markus Bastir, Fred L. Bookstein, Claudine Cohen, Richard G. Delisle, Robin Dennell, Rob DeSalle, John de Vos, Emma M. Finestone, Huw S. Groucutt, Gabriele A. Macho, Fabrizzio Mc Manus, Apurva Narechania, Michael D. Petraglia, Thomas W. Plummer, J.W. F. Reumer, Jeff Rosenfeld, Jeffrey H. Schwartz, Dietrich Stout, Ian Tattersall, Alan R. Templeton, Michael Tessler, Peter J. Waddell, Martine Zilversmit
Human Evolution and Development by Nico van Straalen,Dick Roelofs Pdf
Our understanding of human evolution is proceeding at an unprecedented rate over the last years due to spectacular fossil finds, reconstructions based on genome comparison, ancient DNA sequencing and new insights into developmental genetics. This book takes an integrative approach in which the development of the human embryo, the evolutionary history of our body, the structure of human populations, their dispersal over the world and their cultures are examined by integrating paleoanthropology, developmental biology, comparative zoology, population genetics and phylogenetic reconstruction. The authors discuss questions like: - What do we know about ancient humans? - What happens in the development of an embryo? - How did we manage to walk upright and why did we lose our hair? - What is the relationship between language, migration and evolution? - How does our body respond to the challenges of modern society? In addition to being a core text for the study of the life sciences, Human Evolution and Development is an easy-to-read overview for the interested layperson.
In this masterwork, Russell H. Tuttle synthesizes a vast research literature in primate evolution and behavior to explain how apes and humans evolved in relation to one another, and why humans became a bipedal, tool-making, culture-inventing species distinct from other hominoids. Along the way, he refutes the influential theory that men are essentially killer apes—sophisticated but instinctively aggressive and destructive beings. Situating humans in a broad context, Tuttle musters convincing evidence from morphology and recent fossil discoveries to reveal what early primates ate, where they slept, how they learned to walk upright, how brain and hand anatomy evolved simultaneously, and what else happened evolutionarily to cause humans to diverge from their closest relatives. Despite our genomic similarities with bonobos, chimpanzees, and gorillas, humans are unique among primates in occupying a symbolic niche of values and beliefs based on symbolically mediated cognitive processes. Although apes exhibit behaviors that strongly suggest they can think, salient elements of human culture—speech, mating proscriptions, kinship structures, and moral codes—are symbolic systems that are not manifest in ape niches. This encyclopedic volume is both a milestone in primatological research and a critique of what is known and yet to be discovered about human and ape potential.
The Origins of Modern Humans by Fred H. Smith,James C. Ahern Pdf
This update to the award-winning The Origins of Modern Humans: A World Survey of the Fossil Evidence covers the most accepted common theories concerning the emergence of modern Homo sapiens adding fresh insight from top young scholars on the key new discoveries of the past 25 years. The Origins of Modern Humans: Biology Reconsidered allows field leaders to discuss and assess the assemblage of hominid fossil material in each region of the world during the Pleistocene epoch. It features new fossil and molecular evidence, such as the evolutionary inferences drawn from assessments of modern humans and large segments of the Neandertal genome. It also addresses the impact of digital imagery and the more sophisticated morphometrics that have entered the analytical fray since 1984. Beginning with a thoughtful introduction by the authors on modern human origins, the book offers such insightful chapter contributions as: Africa: The Cradle of Modern People Crossroads of the Old World: Late Hominin Evolution in Western Asia A River Runs through It: Modern Human Origins in East Asia Perspectives on the Origins of Modern Australians Modern Human Origins in Central Europe The Makers of the Early Upper Paleolithic in Western Eurasia Neandertal Craniofacial Growth and Development and Its Relevance for Modern Human Origins Energetics and the Origin of Modern Humans Understanding Human Cranial Variation in Light of Modern Human Origins The Relevance of Archaic Genomes to Modern Human Origins The Process of Modern Human Origins: The Evolutionary and Demographic Changes Giving Rise to Modern Humans The Paleobiology of Modern Human Emergence Elegant and thought provoking, The Origins of Modern Humans: Biology Reconsidered is an ideal read for students, grad students, and professionals in human evolution and paleoanthropology.
Aims to uncover a hidden level of agreement among theories of human evolution. Analyzing classic texts on evolution by Darwin and Keith as well as relatively recent accounts by Dart, Robinson and Tobias, the book reveals that they have a common narrative form based on the universal hero tale.
