We explain how human evolution was and the main theories of its development. In addition, its characteristics and species that existed.
What was human evolution?
Human evolution is the evolutionary process that covers all the biological and cultural changes that crossed the human species until the characteristics of the current human being. This process is also known as Hominization process and is strongly linked to the “theory of evolution.”
Hominids known as Australopithecuswho inhabited Africa 4 million years ago, were the first ancestors of the human species. Then, the appearance of different genres of humans, called Homothey were developing and extinguishing until the appearance of the genre Homo sapiens sapiensto which the current human being belongs.
To know human evolution, joint studies between various disciplines are carried out, such as anthropology, genetics, paleontology, stratigraphy, geochronology, archeology and even linguistics.
See also: Evolution of man
Theories about the origin of humanity
Throughout history, The different cultures explained the origin of the human being from mythical storiesin many cases, related to the creation of the world in the hands of divinities. With the appearance of great monotheistic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islamism, the origin of man was explained from the religious texts that promulgated his message as the only truth.
From the perspective of social sciences, religious myths and stories are not sufficient explanation to understand the origin of the human being. That’s why, Social sciences address the problem from the Theory of evolution.
In the nineteenth century Charles Darwin published The origin of speciesa book in which he postulated his theory of evolution. There he explained that some individuals of each species have mutations of certain biological characteristics that can be selected by environmental conditions. This situation favors the survival of these individualswhich will have greater opportunities to transmit mutations to their descendants.
Today, this proposal is combined with research on genetics and postulates the Synthetic theory of evolutionin which it is established that all species are the result of the accumulation of successive changes over a very prolonged time.
The evolution of man was not a linear process. Archaeological evidence indicates that some species of the genus Homofrom which we derived the current people, coexisted over time, some were extinguished and others evolved.
The origin of man
Like the other species of living beings, The human species was formed over millions of yearsthrough a complex process of changes called evolution. All genres of human beings that were part of this evolution are called Hominids
According to scientists, The first ancestors of human beings were the Australopithecusa genre of hominids that inhabited Africa four million years ago. The Australopithecus They were primates, a class of mammals that was characterized by having hands with five fingers and opposable thumbs (that is, a finger that can oppose the other four and thus, take objects). In addition, they had a complex brain, front vision and their females had a monthly cycle of sexual fertility.
Within the group of primates there are also gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans, but these genres did not have the same process of evolutionary transformation.
Four million years ago, The Earth crossed certain climatic changes and the African jungle became a savannah. This change in the environment favored the group of Australopithecus, that possessed a bipedal march (that is, they walked on two legs). This allowed them to use their hands for other tasks, collect fruits from the ground, gather roots and edible tubers, and carry sticks and stones in their hands. In addition, together with the frontal vision, the bipedal march allowed them to recognize the proximity of predators in the field of savanna (cover of medium -height grasslands) and travel longer paths of territory.
Evolution scheme of the human species
From Australopithecus The genre emerged Homowhich identifies with the different human groups that, in their evolution, reached the current human being. This evolution was not a linear process, and different human groups coexisted over time and in different spaces. More than 18 species have been identified within the genus Homo.
In general, the following scheme represents the evolutionary jumps of the human species:
- Homo habilis. They inhabited Africa 2.5 million years ago. 1.40 meters were measured and their cranial capacity was up to 700 cm3. They developed speech, manufactured tools and built transient shelters.
- Homo erectus. They migrated by Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania 1.5 million years ago. 1.60 meters were measured and their cranial capacity reached 1000 cm3. They hunted small animals, lived in camps and caves, and learned to control the fire.
- Homo sapiens. They inhabited Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania. For 500,000 years they began an evolutionary process from the Homo erectus. The oldest fossil remains of Homo sapiens As a clearly separate species they date from 200,000 years ago. They got to measure 1.70 meters. Its cranial capacity reached 1500 cm3 And scientists believe they had an intellectual potential equivalent to that of the current human being. They made more elaborate tools, gave more complex use to language and buried their dead.
- Homo Neanderthalensis. They lived in Europe and Asia for 230.00 years to 30,000 years ago. They were hunters and lived in larger groups. When the first fossil remains of the Homo Neanderthalensisscientists considered that they were a different homo genre. However, today it is included as a subspecies within the genre Homo sapiens. The reasons for their extinction are not known. In the last period, they coexisted with the Homo sapiens sapiensthe direct ancestor of the current human being.
- Homo sapiens sapiens. They populated Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and America. It is the species to which today’s human beings belong. The oldest remains date from 200,000 years ago. Group hunting techniques on large animals dominated. They practiced religious rites and represented reality in paintings and sculptures.
Characteristics of human evolution
Among the main biological mutations that crossed human evolution we can find:
- Standing
- Opposable thumbs
- CEREBRATION
Among the most important cultural aspects of human evolution we can find:
- Language appearance
- Symbolic representation
Standing
It is estimated that the erect posture on the rear extremities arose to walk more effectively in African savannassince he allowed hominids to run with more speed. When moving it was possible to keep the view above the grasslands that predominated in the region, and that could hide predators.
Those individuals who stopped on two legs They had more chances of surviving than those who had to use their four limbs To do so. As a consequence, this feature was imposed, and the formation of the body began to be modified so that the skull is firmly located at the top of the column.
Opposable thumbs
By learning to walk erect, Hominids had the upper limbs freesince they did not need them to move. Then they were able to use them for other things, such as eating while walking, holding young while fleeing a predator, transporting food or starting to use tools.
Stones, bones, pieces of wood were the initial tools with which our ancestors had. They mark the beginning of technological learning that leads to the sophisticated tools we have today.
CEREBRATION
As we advanced by hominid species prior to the human being, The cranial capacity increased from 350 cc. of the former Australopithecusup to 1200 to 1400 cc. of brain content of the Homo sapiens.
This increase in brain volume involved the ability to elaborate greater cognitive processesbroader, deep and fast reasoning. In addition, it allowed the capacity for learning and abstraction, which is the fundamental feature that distinguishes us from other animals.
Language appearance
While communication is an element related to all ways of life, Language is something exclusively human.
Some animals may understand and associate certain instructions with desired or unwanted behaviors. Others, such as chimpanzees, are able to understand certain communicative rudiments through sign language.
However, in none of these cases it is an articulated language. A system based on sounds and signs They translate into complex ideas is something unique of our species.
Art and culture
The most sophisticated forms of culture and artistic expression among all the human species that existed were achieved by the Homo sapiens. However, Some predecessors left traces of their existence. In addition, it is suspected that Neanderthals also left rock art and other prehistoric art forms.
In our civilization, Art and culture are a reflection of our thinking abilityof our expressive and creative spirit. In addition, they are a highly valued aspect of our existence, something unique among all animal life forms.
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References
- López Serrano, A. (1996). Hominization and material culture process. The contribution of historical anthropology.
- Harris, M. (1981). Introduction to General Anthropology. Alliance.
- Leakey, R., & Lewin, R. (1994). Our origins. RBA Editors.
- “Human Evolution” in Wikipedia
- “Evolution of man” in Profe in History
- “The Evolution of Humans” (Video) in Fusheschool – Global Education
- “The basic concepts of human evolution” in National Geographic
- “Introduction to Human Evolution” in Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
- “Human Evolution” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica
