PHYSICS 1A03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Human Taxonomy, Hominini, Hominidae

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Physics
• Course: PHYSICS 1A03
• Professor: Waldemar Okon

Document Summary

Hominins: hominins refer to people (homo sapiens) and our upright ancestors chimps are the outgroup. Walking upright (bipedally) specific changes in chewing design: teeth, jaws and skull. There are a lot of theories and a great deal of expertise. As with other examples, we try to make and test theories. Studying evolution evidence from fossils: evidence from archaeology: Built on previous adaptations almost certainly led to further evolutionary change: Very early hominins (6 mya) had facial and dental features that were similar to later hominins (2 mya) But also less similar to australopiths (3 mya) Is this surprising? hominin fossils found in particular places associated with fossils from things that hominins used to eat or with tools. Sahelanthropus tchadensis early, but morphologically more like late hominins than intermediate-age species alternative phylogenies (fig 10. 37) the tree is not well understood, despite intensive study. Changing environments and convergent evolution lack of dna evidence new specimens can change the story.