Republic of the Philippines

President Ramon Magsaysay State University

(Formery Ramon Magsaysay Technological University)
Iba, Zambales

College of Teacher Education

Origin Of Human Race

Submitted By:
Allejos, Bryan
Arangorin, Hernan

Ms. Grace Lasco

Instructor
Origin Of Human Race
Human evolution is the lengthy process of change by which people originated from
apelike ancestors. Scientific evidence shows that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all
people originated from apelike ancestors and evolved over a period of approximately six million
years.
One of the earliest defining human traits, bipedalism -- the ability to walk on two legs --
evolved over 4 million years ago. Other important human characteristics -- such as a large and
complex brain, the ability to make and use tools, and the capacity for language -- developed
more recently. Many advanced traits -- including complex symbolic expression, art, and
elaborate cultural diversity -- emerged mainly during the past 100,000 years.
Humans are primates. Physical and genetic similarities show that the modern
human species, Homo sapiens, has a very close relationship to another group of primate species,
the apes. Humans and the great apes (large apes) of Africa -- chimpanzees (including bonobos,
or so-called “pygmy chimpanzees”) and gorillas -- share a common ancestor that lived between 8
and 6 million years ago. Humans first evolved in Africa, and much of human evolution occurred
on that continent. The fossils of early humans who lived between 6 and 2 million years ago come
entirely from Africa.
An evolution is the lengthy process of change by which people originated from apelike
ancestors. Scientific evidence shows that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all people
originated from apelike ancestors and evolved over a period of approximately six million years.
One of the earliest defining human traits, bipedalism -- the ability to walk on two legs -- evolved
over 4 million years ago. Other important human characteristics -- such as a large
 anSahelanthropus tchadensis is one of the oldest known species in the
human family tree. This species lived sometime between 7 and 6 million
years ago in West-Central Africa (Chad). Walking upright may have helped
this species survive in diverse habitats, including forests and grasslands.
Although we have only cranial material from Sahelanthropus, studies so
far show this species had a combination of ape-like and human-like
features. Ape-like features included a small brain (even slightly smaller
than a chimpanzee’s), sloping face, very prominent browridges, and elongated skull. Human-like
features included small canine teeth, a short middle part of the face, and a spinal cord
opening underneath the skull instead of towards the back as seen in non-bipedal apes.mplex
brain, the ability to make and use tools, and the capacity for language -- developed more
recently. Many advanced traits -- including complex symbolic expression, art, and elaborate
cultural diversity -- emerged mainly during the past 100,000 years.

Ardipithecus kadabba was bipedal (walked upright), probably similar in body and

brain size to a modern chimpanzee, and had canines that resemble those in later
hominins but that still project beyond the tooth row. This early human species is
only known in the fossilrecord by a few post-cranial bones and sets of teeth. One
bone from the large toe has a broad, robust appearance, suggesting its use in
bipedal push-off.
Year of Discovery: 1997
When he found a piece of lower jaw lying on the ground in the Middle Awash region of Ethiopia 1997,
paleoanthropologist Yohannes Haile-Selassie didn’t realize that he had uncovered a new species. But 11
specimens from at least 5 individuals later, Haile-Selassie was convinced he had found a new early
human ancestor. The fossils—which also included hand and foot bones, partial arm bones, and a clavicle
(collarbone)—were dated to 5.6–5.8 million years old. One of the specimens, a toe bone, is dated to 5.2
million years old; this fossil has features of bipedal walking. Faunal (fossil animal) evidence from the site
indicated that the early humans there lived in a mixture of woodlands and grasslands, and had plenty of
access to water via lakes and springs. 

Humans are primates. Physical and genetic similarities show that the modern human species, Homo
sapiens, has a very close relationship to another group of primate species, the apes. Humans and the great
apes (large apes) of Africa -- chimpanzees (including bonobos, or so-called “pygmy chimpanzees”) and
gorillas -- share a common ancestor that lived between 8 and 6 million years ago. Humans first evolved in
Africa, and much of human evolution occurred on that continent. The fossils of early humans who lived
between 6 and 2 million years ago come entirely from Africa.

Ardipithecus ramidus was first reported in 1994; in 2009, scientists announced a

partial skeleton, nicknamed ‘Ardi’. The foot bones in this skeleton indicate a
divergent large toe combined with a rigid foot – it's still unclear what this means
concerning bipedalbehavior. The pelvis, reconstructed from a crushed specimen, is
said to show adaptations that combine tree-climbing and bipedal activity. The
discoverers argue that the ‘Ardi’ skeleton reflects a human-African ape common
ancestor that was not chimpanzee-like. A good sample of canine teeth of this
species indicates very little difference in size between males and females in this
species.
Ardi’s fossils were found alongside faunal remains indicating she lived in a wooded environment. This
contradicts the open savanna theory for the origin of bipedalism, which states that humans learned to walk
upright as climates became drier and environments became more open and grassy.
 Year of Discovery: 1994
Australopithecus anamensis has a combination of traits found in both apes
and humans. The upper end of the tibia (shin bone) shows an expanded area
of bone and a human-like orientation of the ankle joint, indicative of
regular bipedal walking (support of body weight on one leg at the time).
Long forearms and features of the wrist bones suggest these individuals
probably climbed trees as well.
Year of Discovery: 1995
History of Discovery: 
In 1965, a research team led by Bryan Patterson from Harvard University discovered a single
arm bone (KNM-KP 271) of an early human at the site of Kanapoi in northern Kenya. But
without additional human fossils, Patterson could not confidently identify the species to which it
belonged. In 1994, a research team led by paleoanthropologist Meave Leakey found numerous
teeth and fragments of bone at the same site. Leakey and her colleagues determined that the
fossils were those of a very primitive hominin and they named a new species
called Australopithecus anamensis (‘anam’ means ‘lake’ in the Turkana lanaguage). Researchers
have since found other Au. anamensis fossils at nearby sites (including Allia Bay), all of which
date between about 4.2 million and 3.9 million years old.

Australopithecus afarensis is one of the longest-lived and best-known early

human species—paleoanthropologists have uncovered remains from more
than 300 individuals! Found between 3.85 and 2.95 million years ago in
Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania), this species survived for more
than 900,000 years, which is over four times as long as our own species has
been around.  It is best known from the sites of Hadar, Ethiopia (‘Lucy’, AL
288-1 and the 'First Family', AL 333); Dikika, Ethiopia (Dikika ‘child’ skeleton); and Laetoli
(fossils of this species plus the oldest documented bipedal footprint trails).
Similar to chimpanzees, Au. afarensis children grew rapidly after birth and reached adulthood
earlier than modern humans. This meant Au. afarensis had a shorter period of growing up than
modern humans have today, leaving them less time for parental guidance and socialization
during childhood.
Au. afarensis had both ape and human characteristics: members of this species had apelike face
proportions (a flat nose, a strongly projecting lower jaw) and braincase (with a small
brain, usually less than 500 cubic centimeters -- about 1/3 the size of a modern human brain),
and long, strong arms with curved fingers adapted for climbing trees. They also had small canine
teeth like all other early humans, and a body that stood on two legs and regularly walked upright.
Their adaptations for living both in the trees and on the ground helped them survive for almost a
million years as climate and environments changed.
Year of Discovery: 1974

Au. africanus was anatomically similar to Au. afarensis, with a

combination of human-like and ape-like features. Compared to Au.
afarensis, Au. africanus had a rounder craniumhousing a larger brain and
smaller teeth, but it also had some ape-like features including relatively
long arms and a strongly sloping face that juts out from underneath the
braincase with a pronounced jaw.  Like Au. afarensis, the pelvis, femur
(upper leg), and foot bones of Au. africanus indicate that it walked bipedally, but its shoulder
and hand bones indicate they were also adapted for climbing,

This species, one of the earliest members of the genus Homo, has

a  slightly larger braincase and smaller face and teeth than
in Australopithecus or older hominin species. But it still retains some ape-
like features, including long arms and a moderately-prognathicface.
Its name, which means ‘handy man’, was given in 1964 because this
species was thought to represent the first maker of stone tools.  Currently,
the oldest stone tools are dated slightly older than the oldest evidence of
the genus Homo.
Year of Discovery: 1960

Early African Homo erectus fossils (sometimes called Homo ergaster) are

the oldest known early humans to have possessed modern human-like body
proportions with relatively elongated legs and shorter arms compared to the
size of the torso. These features are considered adaptations to a life lived on
the ground, indicating the loss of earlier tree-climbing adaptations, with the
ability to walk and possibly run long distances. Compared with earlier
fossil humans, note the expanded braincase relative to the size of the face.
The most complete fossil individual of this species is known as the ‘Turkana Boy’ – a well-
preserved skeleton (though minus almost all the hand and foot bones), dated around 1.6 million
years old.  Microscopic study of the teeth indicates that he grew up at a growth rate similar to
that of a great ape. There is fossil evidence that this species cared for old and weak individuals.
The appearance of Homo erectus in the fossil record is often associated with the earliest
handaxes, the first major innovation in stone tool technology.
Early fossil discoveries from Java (beginning in the 1890s) and China (‘Peking Man’, beginning
in the 1920s) comprise the classic examples of this species. Generally considered to have been
the first species to have expanded beyond Africa, Homo erectus is considered a highly variable
species, spread over two continents (it's not certain whether it reached Europe), and possibly the
longest lived early human species - about nine times as long as our own species, Homo sapiens,
has been around!
Year of Discovery: 1891

This early human species had a very large browridge, and a larger

braincase and flatter face than older early human species. It was the first
early human species to live in colder climates; their short, wide bodies
were likely an adaptation to conserving heat. It lived at the time of the
oldest definite control of fire and use of wooden spears, and it was the
first early human species to routinely hunt large animals. This early
human also broke new ground; it was the first species to build shelters,
creating simple dwellings out of wood and rock.
Year of Discovery: 1908
History of Discovery: 
In 1908 near Heidelberg, Germany, a workman found the type specimen of  H.
heidelbergensis in the Rösch sandpit just north of the village of Mauer. This mandible was
nearly complete except for the missing premolars and first two left molars; it is heavily built and
lacks a chin. German scientist Otto Schoentensack was the first to describe the specimen and
proposed the species name Homo heidelbergensis. 

Neanderthals (the ‘th’ pronounced as ‘t’) are our closest extinct human
relative. Some defining features of their skulls include the large middle
part of the face, angled cheek bones, and a huge nose for humidifying and
warming cold, dry air. Their bodies were shorter and stockier than ours,
another adaptation to living in cold environments. But their brains were
just as large as ours and often larger - proportional to their brawnier
bodies.
Neanderthals made and used a diverse set of sophisticated tools, controlled fire, lived in shelters,
made and wore clothing, were skilled hunters of large animals and also ate plant foods, and
occasionally made symbolic or ornamental objects. There is evidence that Neanderthals
deliberately buried their dead and occasionally even marked their graves with offerings, such as
flowers. No other primates, and no earlier human species, had ever practiced this sophisticated
and symbolic behavior.
DNA has been recovered from more than a dozen Neanderthal fossils, all from Europe; the
Neanderthal Genome Project is one of the exciting new areas of human origins research.
Year of Discovery: 1829

The species that you and all other living human beings on this planet
belong to is Homo sapiens. During a time of dramatic climate change
300,000 years ago, Homo sapiensevolved in Africa. Like other early
humans that were living at this time, they gathered and hunted food, and
evolved behaviors that helped them respond to the challenges of survival
in unstable environments.
Anatomically, modern humans can generally be characterized by the
lighter build of their skeletons compared to earlier humans. Modern humans have very large
brains, which vary in size from population to population and between males and females, but the
average size is approximately 1300 cubic centimeters. Housing this big  brain involved the
reorganization of the skull into what is thought of as "modern" -- a thin-walled, high vaulted
skull with a flat and near vertical forehead. Modern human faces also show much less (if any) of
the heavy brow ridges and prognathism of other early humans. Our jaws are also less heavily
developed, with smaller teeth.
Scientists sometimes use the term “anatomically modern Homo sapiens” to refer to members of
our own species who lived during prehistoric times.