anthropolgy: human evoltuion

Bipedalism

The ability to walk on two legs

• (pelvis and valgus angle)

Valgus angle

• the angle of a bone or joint that points outward from the body's midline

• the appearance of a valgus angle provides evidence of bipedalism

Foramen magnum

Hole at the base of the skull for the spinal cord. placement is important clue of whether a specimen is bipedal

Cranial Capacity

Head size (and shape) gives you a good idea of brain size

Zygomatic arches

Arches of bone that the temporal (chewing) muscles pass through. (Large cheekbones that flare to the side are a sign that powerful chewing muscles were once attached; the larger the arches, the larger the muscles

Sagittal crest

This is a bony ridge on the top of the skull (on robust forms) where heavy chewing muscles (i.e., temporal muscles) attach, associated with chewing tough and coarse vegetation. Some species have them and some don’t.

Size and structure of teeth and jaws in the story of human evolution

the size and structure of teeth and jaws have significantly decreased, transitioning from large, robust jaws with pointed canines in early ancestors to smaller, more parabolically arranged teeth in modern humans, primarily due to dietary changes and tool usage, resulting in a more vertical face profile with a prominent chin

Oldowan tool technology

• oldest tool

• Hammerstone hits core stone on one slide to make it sharp

Acheulian tool technology

best characterized by its distinctive stone handaxes. These handaxes are pear-shaped, teardrop-shaped, and flaked over at least part of the surface of each side (bifacial) with multple indents.

Connections between toolmaking and development of language

• The connection between toolmaking and the development of language lies in the shared cognitive processes required for both activities, particularly the need for complex, sequential thought, planning, and motor coordination, suggesting that these abilities likely evolved together in early humans, with toolmaking potentially laying the groundwork for the emergence of language.

Inter-relationships between cranial capacity, bipedalism, pelvis, childbirth, childhood dependency, allocare, childhood, sociality and cooperation

Basically depending on the head size and pelivic size that will determine how the baby comes out for humans the head is about the same size so it has to contourt. since babies stay in for 9 months usally bigger than other species

Augustin Fuentes’ problematization of “survival of the fittest”

it can be misinterpreted as justifying social inequalities and harmful prejudices by suggesting that certain groups are inherently superior due to their supposed evolutionary advantage, often leading to racist and sexist interpretations of human evolution