Biology Term Paper

Running head: TERM PAPER
Becoming Human worksheet
Name
Institution of Affiliation
TERM PAPER 2
Becoming Human Worksheet
Part 1: First steps
1-what is the significance of the discovery of a fossil named “Salaam” or (“peace” in Ethiopian)?
It was one of the only complete skeleton found that early and represented a child fossil ancestor
that walked on two legs.
2- Roughly when was salaam living and how do we know this?
Salaam was living around 3.4 million years ago and this is deduced from distinctive landscape
that comprised of white bands of volcanic ash.
3- What are the comparisons made between chimpanzees and Australopithecus and how are they
significant?
Australopithecus had resembled modern humans from waist down and chimpanzees from waist
up especially in the shoulder area. They had small brains and a flat noses like those of
chimpanzees and had long arms with curved fingers for tree climbing. They are significant in
that they were bipedal and lived on both trees and on the ground.
4- What was the climate/ environment of Africa like many millions of years ago (Say 6 Mya)?
The African climate was wet, tropical, and covered with rainforests and huge lakes.
5-Acording to biomechanist Daniel Lieberman, why did human Ancestors become bipedal (walk
upright)?
TERM PAPER 3
Human ancestors became bipedal to save on energy. When energy consumption between humans
and chimpanzees is compared, the chimpanzees use 4 times of the energy used by humans.
6- What is the molecular clock and how does it work?
The molecular clock compares DNA from species that are related to assess whether they evolved
from a common ancestor. It works by counting the differences between the genetic codes to
quantify how long two species evolved away from one another. The clock considers the rate of
genetic change over time by looking at where DNA split to differentiate species.
7-What was the significance of the discovery of Sahelanthropus tchadensis?
It was the oldest hominid found (6 million years old) and showed how long ago humans began to
evolve from their ancestors.
Oldest hominid found that was 6 million years old
Showed how long ago we started to turn human and how we started to evolve
8- What evidence is used to suggest that brain development was happening in early human
Ancestors?
Skull fossils are measured to show that the brains of chimpanzees are fully developed at the age
of three years while that of humans develop fully at the age of 20 years. Salaam’s brain at the age
of three was only 75 percent developed and the vision part of the brain was reducing while the
complex part was becoming bigger and more significant.
9-what was the climate of Africa like roughly 3 million year ago to 1 ½ million years ago?
The climate fluctuated between hot and wet with monsoons and droughts being common.
TERM PAPER 4
10- How are these latest discoveries being used to challenge traditional conceptions of human?
This latest discoveries are used to provide evidence of human evolution as a result of
environmental change.
Part II: Birth of humanity
1-What species appeared about 2 million years ago and what were the significant changes from
earlier species?
Homo erectus was the species that appeared about 2 million years ago. It had larger brains,
longer legs, and thinner arms. It made fire, created society, and solved problems.
2-What kinds of “big questions” can be answered with a nearly complete ancient Skeleton?
How did he grow up? How did his body structure look like, is he closer to apes or to humans?
3- What is “brain endocast” and what can be learned from them?
A brain endocast is a mold made from the skull to help learn the development of their brains.
Evidence of speech can be derived from the shape of the brain. One can also compare the
development stages of the brain.
4- In what ways are stone tools indicative of an increase in the “thinking power “of homo
erectus?
The stone tools, such as the stone hand axe showed that they were capable of making decisions
and knowing what was helping them to survive and what was not.
5-What are the hidden cost of large brains?
The larger the brain, the more energy it needs thereby requiring the organism to eat more.
TERM PAPER 5
6- What is Homo erectus hunting?
It is hunting in the middle of the day when the temperatures are high and the weather is hot,
animals are barely active and they get tired easily when chased. They retain more heat due to the
hair on their skin.
7-how may the deeply social aspects of modern humans be explained through evolutionary
development?
Invention of fire by the ancestors allowed people to cook food and they could socialize with
other as they waited for the food.
8- When did Homo erectus leave Africa and why?
They left Africa 1.8 million years ago after the grass dwindled thereby reducing the animals that
were their primary food source. As the animals moved, the Homo erectus followed them.
9- What is Homo floresiensis (or the Habit)?
The hobbit was a small human ancestor that was around 3 ft. tall with a small brain and led
primitive life. It used tools and was small due t the island dwarfism.
10- What is a possible scenario for the death of “Thurkana Boy”?
It got lost in a hunting expedition.
Part III: “Last Human Standing”
1-In what order of descent did the species of Homo overtake one another and when?
Homo erectus - heidelbergensis - Neanderthals - Homo sapiens

TERM PAPER 6
2-what was discovered in the caves at Atapuerca, in northern Spain and what does this say about
archaic Homo sapiens (Homo heidelbergensis in this case)?
The pit of bones filled with 30 complete skeletons were discovered in the caves of Atapuerca and
showed that the human ancestors cared about each other and would bury the dead in a ceremony.
3-What is “Excalibur” and what did it signify?
This is a hand axe made of Quartz and signifies that the ancestors had complex minds.
4-In what ways did our ideas about Homo neandertalensis changes as the 20th century proceeds?
They could be us during the evolution hence being the missing link between humans and the
apes. While they looked primitive and animal-like, evidence of them caring for the sick and
holding ceremonial burials shows their human side.
5- What recent discovery in the in the Meuse valley, Belgium helped to refine our views of
Neanderthals?
The child teeth of a Neanderthal ancestor that were 1 million years old.
6- What kind of research is going at the Max Planck institute in Leipzig, Germany, regarding
evolutionary sturdies?
Scientists are using high-powered CT scans to look at the internal structures of the teeth and
bone as well as surface models that separate pieces of fossils and make conclusions of their
similarities of modern humans.
7-Why are children’s teeth so valuable to archeologist?

TERM PAPER 7
They give information on how fast species were growing and compare it with that of humans to
make conclusions on the similarities.
8-why was hunting such a risky business for Neanderthals?
They had to get closer to an animal to kill it and this risked their lives as the animal could fight
back and injure or kill them.
9-Why did Neanderthals go extinct about 25,000 years ago?
The ice age turned Africa into a desert hence making life difficult for Neanderthals. Homo
sapiens emerged with better adaptations and absorbed the remaining Neanderthals through
interbreeding.
10-What is “the bottleneck effect”?
It is the phenomenon where only some genes made it through to the neck bottle i.e. the ice age
and from there came the descendants of humans that are genetically different from the ancestors
that were present before the ice age.

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Running head: TERM PAPER

Becoming Human worksheet

Becoming Human Worksheet

Part 1: First steps

that walked on two legs.

2- Roughly when was salaam living and how do we know this?

that comprised of white bands of volcanic ash.

6- What is the molecular clock and how does it work?

7-What was the significance of the discovery of Sahelanthropus tchadensis?

evolve from their ancestors.

Oldest hominid found that was 6 million years old

complex part was becoming bigger and more significant.

Part II: Birth of humanity

3- What is “brain endocast” and what can be learned from them?

development stages of the brain.

5-What are the hidden cost of large brains?

6- What is Homo erectus hunting?

hair on their skin.

other as they waited for the food.

8- When did Homo erectus leave Africa and why?

9- What is Homo floresiensis (or the Habit)?

10- What is a possible scenario for the death of “Thurkana Boy”?

It got lost in a hunting expedition.

Part III: “Last Human Standing”

Homo erectus - heidelbergensis - Neanderthals - Homo sapiens

archaic Homo sapiens (Homo heidelbergensis in this case)?

3-What is “Excalibur” and what did it signify?

holding ceremonial burials shows their human side.

similarities of modern humans.

7-Why are children’s teeth so valuable to archeologist?

make conclusions on the similarities.

8-why was hunting such a risky business for Neanderthals?

back and injure or kill them.

9-Why did Neanderthals go extinct about 25,000 years ago?

10-What is “the bottleneck effect”?

that were present before the ice age.

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