ANTH 3460 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Thrifty Phenotype, Hominidae, Fetus
17 Oct 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Biomedical anthropology focused on growth and development. Hominoids: great apes all big, large body animals-> growth is slowed down to accommodate large body size can rotate shoulders and extend elbows. Closest living relative: chimpanzee (5-7mya) and bonobos. Pelvic anatomy bonobos: elongated (front to back dimension is longest matches with fetal head) humans: accommodate bipedalism not birth. Humans have to line up for exit in a completely different way. Mothers cannot give birth alone properly because the baby comes out facing the opposite way (occiput anterior) as the mother"s spine is going in the opposite direction. Human babies are born before they"re ready (born very immaturely compared to other species (alter developmental timing) Human brain size is very small at birth. If mother uses drugs or alcohol critically influences development. These fetal developments can cause huge health effects later in life (epigenetics, stress, early environments) Can go in different directions based on initial cues.
