ENV100Y5 Chapter Notes -Homininae, Hylobates, Hominidae
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ENV100Y5 Full Course Notes
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What separates us from the chimps: brain size. Neoteny: retention of juvenile features: speech. Changes in the hyoid bone and larynx. Adaptive pressure to move from gestures speech. Not clear when it evolved: bipedalism. Why be bipedal: leaves hands free for tool use; gesturing, able to run and throw, able to carry offspring better, babies can be born at a less developed state (bigger brains) Bipedalism: thermoregulation: expose less body surface to the sun, postural feeding: easier to feed from low branches, better field of view: easier to see over tall grass; keep social contract; efficient gait for crossing open spaces. Lived from 400,000 to about 30,000 years ago. Neanderthals interbred with homo sapiens after h. sapiens move out of africa. Modern non-africans: 1% to 5% of dna derived from neanderthal. Competition from homo sapiens probably contributed to neanderthal extinction. Certain traits (skin colour, nose shape, etc) have arisen as adaptations to new environments.