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How did humans evolve?
- Thread starter Autodidact
- Start date
camanintx
Well-Known Member
Do you really think you would be better off with the parasites that infest fur, like blood-sucking lice, fleas and ticks, and the diseases they spread?
Why Humans and Their Fur Parted Ways - New York Times
Halcyon
Lord of the Badgers
Brain size isn't necessarily linked to intelligence, nor to vocal capacity.
Neanderthals had larger brains than we do, but their vocal chords only allowed them to speak in a sort of baby talk, plus from the tools we have found it appears they weren't quite as good at abstract thinking as we are.
I think language ability is definitely the key to understanding the evolution of higher intelligence though.
Halcyon
Lord of the Badgers
Personally, I'm a fan of the aquatic ape hypothesis.
Halcyon
Lord of the Badgers
Lol, no.
No, that's just a way people use to describe the different areas of the brain and their purpose, we only have one brain.
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
*sigh*
we have a lot of non Homo fossils as well. Lucy for example is 40% complete and we have boxes of remains from individuals from infants to adults for several Australopithicines.
As for speech we can talk because we walk upright. Its a progressive development that can be seen thanks to the placement of the head above the neck. This frees our windpipe to selectively adapt to language. (seen in the progression of the Hyoid bone evolution)
Sadly it also lets us die from choking easier than our ancestors. (Gotta' love a give and take)
Hair was lost due to the fact that we are great sweat coolers. We cool far more rapidly than any other savanna animal of like size. (this is why the Dobe and other 'bush people' can literally run down dinner.) We keep on going while others animals suffer heat stroke.
*Aquatic ape is IMHO silly. But the explanations as to why would take to long for this thread.
As for brains... the 'reptile brain' thing is a misnomer.
We have a more complex brain than a modern reptile, yes... but it still has all the same parts. We don't have any new bits that they don't, just bits used in different ways.
wa:do
we have a lot of non Homo fossils as well. Lucy for example is 40% complete and we have boxes of remains from individuals from infants to adults for several Australopithicines.
As for speech we can talk because we walk upright. Its a progressive development that can be seen thanks to the placement of the head above the neck. This frees our windpipe to selectively adapt to language. (seen in the progression of the Hyoid bone evolution)
Sadly it also lets us die from choking easier than our ancestors. (Gotta' love a give and take)
Hair was lost due to the fact that we are great sweat coolers. We cool far more rapidly than any other savanna animal of like size. (this is why the Dobe and other 'bush people' can literally run down dinner.) We keep on going while others animals suffer heat stroke.
*Aquatic ape is IMHO silly. But the explanations as to why would take to long for this thread.
As for brains... the 'reptile brain' thing is a misnomer.
We have a more complex brain than a modern reptile, yes... but it still has all the same parts. We don't have any new bits that they don't, just bits used in different ways.
wa:do
Halcyon
Lord of the Badgers
Do you want to start a new thread on it? I wouldn't mind discussing it.
Sigh
They (all known species examples prior Homo) probably represent about 10% of what actually existed back then, as yet we have barely scratched the surface, thankyou.
Secondly, taxonomical considerations mean that what you might think is or isnt Homo is still debatable, this of course applies to me to.
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
you could say that about any taxon.
The hominid line is actually fairly well represented for such a short time frame and area. Thank you.
If you want to lump the Australopithicines in with Homo that is up to you... but I will keep Homo as it has been designated.
What do you consider 'not Homo' so I know what to discuss.
wa:do
The hominid line is actually fairly well represented for such a short time frame and area. Thank you.
If you want to lump the Australopithicines in with Homo that is up to you... but I will keep Homo as it has been designated.
What do you consider 'not Homo' so I know what to discuss.
wa:do
i say it because there are other aspects of human evolution that are not normally discussed or considered...
Namely the crazy theories of Neotenic evolution and Xenomorphic interference, or are they?
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
yeah, those are some pretty crazy theories...
generally not discussed because the evidence is, shall we we say "sketchy" at best.
You also don't hear Aquatic Ape Theory bandied about in serious discussions of human origins for the same reason.
wa:do
generally not discussed because the evidence is, shall we we say "sketchy" at best.
You also don't hear Aquatic Ape Theory bandied about in serious discussions of human origins for the same reason.
wa:do
I am not sure that neotenic theory is without foundation, it is a genuine possibility, it is not without precident.
For the latter theory, there we go into very uncertain territory indeed.
Shinka: Tau for see ya later
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
Neoteny is not the whole answer, though some neoteny is possible and often discussed.
Neoteny being the retention of juvenile features into adulthood. Again it isn't the whole answer to any evolutionary question, just one of several meccanisms.
wa:do
Neoteny being the retention of juvenile features into adulthood. Again it isn't the whole answer to any evolutionary question, just one of several meccanisms.
wa:do
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
Neoteny is the retention of juvenile features into adulthood. This is seen in several species such as salamanders who never loose their gills and is key to all animal domestication.
There is some discussion as to how much, if any, neoteny is shown in the human population.
wa:do
There is some discussion as to how much, if any, neoteny is shown in the human population.
wa:do
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
yes but a cro-magnon adult looks more like a Homo erectus juvenile.
A human infant is not a lot like a human adult... a chimp infant is less like a chimp adult. This is called allometry and is the change in proportions of an individual over their lifetime.
A chimp infant is remarkably more like a human in general appearance than an adult chimp.
wa:do
A human infant is not a lot like a human adult... a chimp infant is less like a chimp adult. This is called allometry and is the change in proportions of an individual over their lifetime.
A chimp infant is remarkably more like a human in general appearance than an adult chimp.
wa:do