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Who are we and where did we come from? Beliefs about human evolution originated hundreds of years ago. Numerous scientists and paleontologists have spent countless hours trying to answer questions dealing with this mysterious concept. Fossils of human-related species have been found in various locations throughout the years with remains dating as far back as 5.8 million years ago. As more and more fossils are being discovered new questions continually arise. Many scientists believe that modern day humans evolved from the Order Primates(1) and are included in the family hominid(2). The Order Primates also include gorillas, monkeys, chimpanzees, lemurs, and indris(3). Studying these primates is very important in unmasking the mysteries of the past in a variety of ways. Not only do the fossils of present day primates help us in understanding the remains that we find, but they also help us in piecing together the lifestyles that Hominids of the past lead(4). Many differences can be seen in fossils found millions of years ago when compared with modern Homo sapien bones of today. Evolution has shaped the modern Homo sapien in many ways to help us adapt to our environment. The direction of human evolution was shaped by a variety of factors. These factors include the type of food they were able to forage , the shelters they built, as well as predators in which they had to escape(5). The particular niche of the Hominid species also aides in shaping specific features. This progression has taken millions of years, and is an eternal process for our environment is continually changing(6). For instance, the modern day Homo sapien tends to be taller, have a larger brain, and have a thicker skull than remains of the past. It is very interesting to follow the evolutionary path of the human and to see where we stand today. The timeline below gives an overview of the Hominid species and a rough order of their evolution.
References: 1. Delson, Eric, The Record of Human Evolution, n.d., http://216.87.9.200/resources/resources/156677246093.asp (November 25, 2001) 2. Foley, Jim, July 31, 2001, Hominid Species, http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/species.html (November 29, 2001) 3. The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of California, 2001, Primates, http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/eutheria/primates.html (November 25, 2001) 4. Pilbeam, David, 1972, The Ascent of Man: An Introduction to Human Evolution, The Macmillan Company, New York, 207 p. 5. Park, Michael A., 1999, Biological Anthrolpology: Second Edition, Mayfield Publishing Company, Mountain View California, 412 p. 6. Korn, Noel and Smith, H., 1959, Human Evolution, Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc., New York, 447 p.
Created By: Cara Robinson Copyright: December 2001
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