1. The History of Human Evolution

2. Important Terms Primate Hominid
The order of mammals to which human beings belong
Hominid
A bi-pedal (up-right walking) primate
All humans are primates, but humans are the only hominid

3. Primates First appeared ~ 65 million years ago (YA)
8-20 million years ago the ancestral lines of hominids and apes split
4 million YA the first bi-pedal hominid appears

4. Australopithecus Afarensis “Lucy”
First skeletal evidence of bi-pedalism found fossilized remains in the Great Rift Valley of Africa
“Lucy” (named after the Beatles song that was playing when she was discovered) was a fully bi-pedal hominid
106 cm (3.5 feet) tall
Adult female
Pelvic structure of modern woman, but ape like skull (small brain)
Challenged previous idea that a large brain was the key to human evolution

5. Great Rift Valley

6. “Lucy”

7. What Lucy might have looked like:

8. “Lucy” & Us
Other than being bipedal, Lucy was certainly more ape like in her behaviour
But, being the earliest bipedal hominid she must be part of our family tree

9. Hominid Diversity
As early as 3.5 million years ago there are 3 distinct species of australopithicines:
A. Afarensis (Lucy)
A. Africanus
A. Robustus
2.5 MYA Australopithicus has disappeared from the fossil record

10. A. Africanus

11. A. Robustus

12. Homo habilis (the handyman)
Larger brained hominid
Omnivorous diet
Evidence of tool use and tool making!

13. Homo habilis

14. Habilis Tools

16. Homo Erectus Appeared 1.7 MYA Fully upright walker
Increased brain & body
Proficient tool maker & user
First to control fire!
Migrates out of Africa to Asia, Java, Middle East
By 1.2 MYA all hominids but homo erectus are extinct
400,000 years ago, other hominids appear

17. Erectus Tools

18. Erectus Range

19. Homo sapiens neanderthalenis
Named for the Neander valley in Germany where first fossils were found
First appear about 300,000 YA, but by 130,000YA complete Neanderthal characteristics in place
Very successful ice-age survivors

20. Neanderthals

21. What Happened to Neanderthals?
Nenaderthals disappear about 30,000 YA
Some evidence they did interbreed with modern humans
Still others believe they survived and emerged as leaders of the Soviet Union - but that also became extinct in the 1990s