Human Origins And Environmental Backgrounds

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Human Origins and Environmental Backgrounds

Author : Hidemi Ishida
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0387297987
Total Pages : 284 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (872 download)

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Book Synopsis Human Origins and Environmental Backgrounds by : Hidemi Ishida

Download or read book Human Origins and Environmental Backgrounds written by Hidemi Ishida and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-10-12 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Advances in fossil studies relating to the origin of Homo sapiens have strengthened the hypothesis that our direct ancestors originated on the African continent. Most researchers also agree that the time when prehumans diverged from the last common ancestor was in the early part of the Late Miocene epoch. Focus must now shift from determining the times and places of hominid origins to clarifying hominid evolutionary problems, such as the selective factors and acquisition processes of hominid bipedalism. In March of 2003, researchers from Africa, Europe, Japan and the United States convened in Kyoto for a symposium on Human Origins and Environmental Backgrounds, an interdisciplinary effort to consider these evolutionary puzzles, to report current research and to exchange thoughts towards better understanding the relationship among environmental changes, adaptive mechanisms and human origins. This book is the result of that symposium, and includes a diverse and unique set of papers on topics such as hominid evolution, dispersal and morphology, and the origins of bipedalism.

Origins

Author : Lewis Dartnell
Publisher : Basic Books
ISBN 13 : 1541617894
Total Pages : 348 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (416 download)

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Book Synopsis Origins by : Lewis Dartnell

Download or read book Origins written by Lewis Dartnell and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2019-05-14 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New York Times-bestselling author explains how the physical world shaped the history of our species When we talk about human history, we often focus on great leaders, population forces, and decisive wars. But how has the earth itself determined our destiny? Our planet wobbles, driving changes in climate that forced the transition from nomadism to farming. Mountainous terrain led to the development of democracy in Greece. Atmospheric circulation patterns later on shaped the progression of global exploration, colonization, and trade. Even today, voting behavior in the south-east United States ultimately follows the underlying pattern of 75 million-year-old sediments from an ancient sea. Everywhere is the deep imprint of the planetary on the human. From the cultivation of the first crops to the founding of modern states, Origins reveals the breathtaking impact of the earth beneath our feet on the shape of our human civilizations.

Human Natures

Author : Paul R. Ehrlich
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 0142000531
Total Pages : 545 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (42 download)

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Book Synopsis Human Natures by : Paul R. Ehrlich

Download or read book Human Natures written by Paul R. Ehrlich and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2001-12-31 with total page 545 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do we behave the way we do? Biologist Paul Ehrlich suggests that although people share a common genetic code, these genes "do not shout commands at us...at the very most, they whisper suggestions." He argues that human nature is not so much result of genetic coding; rather, it is heavily influenced by cultural conditioning and environmental factors. With personal anecdotes, a well-written narrative, and clear examples, Human Natures is a major work of synthesis and scholarship as well as a valuable primer on genetics and evolution that makes complex scientific concepts accessible to lay readers.

Apes and Human Evolution

Author : Russell H. Tuttle
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 0674073169
Total Pages : 1089 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (74 download)

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Book Synopsis Apes and Human Evolution by : Russell H. Tuttle

Download or read book Apes and Human Evolution written by Russell H. Tuttle and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2014-02-17 with total page 1089 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this masterwork, Russell H. Tuttle synthesizes a vast research literature in primate evolution and behavior to explain how apes and humans evolved in relation to one another, and why humans became a bipedal, tool-making, culture-inventing species distinct from other hominoids. Along the way, he refutes the influential theory that men are essentially killer apes—sophisticated but instinctively aggressive and destructive beings. Situating humans in a broad context, Tuttle musters convincing evidence from morphology and recent fossil discoveries to reveal what early primates ate, where they slept, how they learned to walk upright, how brain and hand anatomy evolved simultaneously, and what else happened evolutionarily to cause humans to diverge from their closest relatives. Despite our genomic similarities with bonobos, chimpanzees, and gorillas, humans are unique among primates in occupying a symbolic niche of values and beliefs based on symbolically mediated cognitive processes. Although apes exhibit behaviors that strongly suggest they can think, salient elements of human culture—speech, mating proscriptions, kinship structures, and moral codes—are symbolic systems that are not manifest in ape niches. This encyclopedic volume is both a milestone in primatological research and a critique of what is known and yet to be discovered about human and ape potential.

Landscapes of Human Evolution

Author : James Cole
Publisher : Archaeopress Publishing Ltd
ISBN 13 : 1789693802
Total Pages : 204 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (896 download)

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Book Synopsis Landscapes of Human Evolution by : James Cole

Download or read book Landscapes of Human Evolution written by James Cole and published by Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2020-02-13 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fourteen papers are presented here in honour of John Gowlett. John has a wide range of research interests primarily focused on the human genus Homo and is a world leader in understanding the cognitive and behavioural preconditions necessary for the emergence of complex behaviours such as language and art.

Masters of the Planet

Author : Ian Tattersall
Publisher : Macmillan
ISBN 13 : 023010875X
Total Pages : 289 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (31 download)

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Book Synopsis Masters of the Planet by : Ian Tattersall

Download or read book Masters of the Planet written by Ian Tattersall and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2012-03-27 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Homo sapiens made their entrance 100,000 years ago they were confronted by a wide range of other hominids - but shortly after their arrival, something happened that vaulted the species forward. This book is devoted to revealing just what made humans the indisputable masters of the planet.

African Genesis

Author : Sally C. Reynolds
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1107019958
Total Pages : 599 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (7 download)

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Book Synopsis African Genesis by : Sally C. Reynolds

Download or read book African Genesis written by Sally C. Reynolds and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-03-29 with total page 599 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book reviews key themes and developments in palaeoanthropology, exploring their impact on our understanding of human origins in Africa.

Ancestral DNA, Human Origins, and Migrations

Author : Rene J. Herrera
Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0128041285
Total Pages : 590 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (28 download)

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Book Synopsis Ancestral DNA, Human Origins, and Migrations by : Rene J. Herrera

Download or read book Ancestral DNA, Human Origins, and Migrations written by Rene J. Herrera and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2018-06-13 with total page 590 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ancestral DNA, Human Origins, and Migrations describes the genesis of humans in Africa and the subsequent story of how our species migrated to every corner of the globe. Different phases of this journey are presented in an integrative format with information from a number of disciplines, including population genetics, evolution, anthropology, archaeology, climatology, linguistics, art, music, folklore and history. This unique approach weaves a story that has synergistic impact in the clarity and level of understanding that will appeal to those researching, studying, and interested in population genetics, evolutionary biology, human migrations, and the beginnings of our species. - Integrates research and information from the fields of genetics, evolution, anthropology, archaeology, climatology, linguistics, art, music, folklore and history, among others - Presents the content in an entertaining and synergistic style to facilitate a deep understanding of human population genetics - Informs on the origins and recent evolution of our species in an approachable manner

Primate Locomotion

Author : Kristiaan D'Août
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 144191420X
Total Pages : 372 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (419 download)

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Book Synopsis Primate Locomotion by : Kristiaan D'Août

Download or read book Primate Locomotion written by Kristiaan D'Août and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-01-07 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Primate locomotion has typically been studied from two points of view. Laboratory-based researchers have focused on aspects like biomechanics and energetics, whereas field-based researchers have focused on (locomotor) behaviour and ecology. Unfortunately, to date, there is relatively little scientific exchange between both groups. With a book, which will be the result of a symposium on the 2008 Meeting of the International Primatological Society in Edinburgh, we would like to bring together laboratory and field-based primate locomotion studies. We are convinced this will be beneficial for both research lines. For example, biomechanists might wonder how frequently the locomotor style they study in the lab actually occurs in nature, and field workers might use calculated costs of locomotion to understand why certain locomotor behaviours are favoured under specific conditions. Thus, on the one hand, an established link between both groups may help interpret the results by using each other’s findings. On the other hand, recent technological advances (e.g. portable high-speed cameras) make it possible to bridge the gap between lab-based and field-based research by actually collecting biomechanical data in situ. Again, communication between both groups is necessary to identify the specific needs and start up achievable and successful research projects in the field. In order to generate a wide interest, we have invited biomechanists, ecologists, and field-based researchers who combine both disciplines, and we hope their combined contributions will facilitate lasting cooperation between the mentioned disciplines and stimulate innovative research in Primatology. We are convinced that the most appropriate format to publish the different symposium contributions is a conference volume within an existing book series. Firstly, the chapters will not only contain new data but will also review existing data and elaborate on potential future work – more so than can be done in a journal article. Secondly, the combination of chapters will form an entity that is more valuable than the sum of the separate chapters and therefore they need to be presented together. Lastly, this volume will benefit from the typically long "shelf life" of a book in a renowned series, allowing it to be used as reference book for both researchers and students.

Axial Character Seriation in Mammals

Author : Aaron G. Filler
Publisher : Universal-Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1599424177
Total Pages : 386 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (994 download)

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Book Synopsis Axial Character Seriation in Mammals by : Aaron G. Filler

Download or read book Axial Character Seriation in Mammals written by Aaron G. Filler and published by Universal-Publishers. This book was released on 2007 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Modern biology is increasingly focused on the role of repetitive anatomical structures in the embryological construction of organisms. The discovery of the homeobox (Hox) genes by Edward Lewis in 1978 ushered in a series of stunning revelations such as the fundamental commonality of insect segments and mammalian vertebrae - a wild and ridiculed idea first proposed by Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1822 that has now been proven correct. Axial Character Seriation in Mammals is an unabridged edition of the 1986 Harvard University PhD Thesis of Aaron G. Filler, MD, PhD that pioneered our modern reassessment of mammalian vertebrae in the light of the new homeotic biology. As Dr. Filler points out in fascinating detail, the leading explanations of similarity among animals before Darwin were arrayed around the vertebrae of the spine in works by Sir Richard Owen, Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. This was the theoretical structure that was overturned and demolished by Darwin's ideas about similarity due to common descent. In a stunning reversal, modern homeotic genetics has shown that repeating structures are indeed critical to understanding animal similarity. This work is the first study of the modern era that views vertebrae as a key to unlocking the way in which Nature has organized repeating biological structures. For the 150 years since the Great Academy Debate of 1830 appeared to demolish Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire's ideas, vertebrae have been seen as no more than some bones in Vertebrate animals that are involved in support and locomotion. Axial Character Seriation in Mammals, however, explores the fascinating traces of how the morphogenetic genes sculpt and organize serially repeating structures, thus re-establishing the vertebrae as a legitimate and compelling subject of modern science.

Understanding Climate's Influence on Human Evolution

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309148383
Total Pages : 128 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Understanding Climate's Influence on Human Evolution by : National Research Council

Download or read book Understanding Climate's Influence on Human Evolution written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-04-17 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The hominin fossil record documents a history of critical evolutionary events that have ultimately shaped and defined what it means to be human, including the origins of bipedalism; the emergence of our genus Homo; the first use of stone tools; increases in brain size; and the emergence of Homo sapiens, tools, and culture. The Earth's geological record suggests that some evolutionary events were coincident with substantial changes in African and Eurasian climate, raising the possibility that critical junctures in human evolution and behavioral development may have been affected by the environmental characteristics of the areas where hominins evolved. Understanding Climate's Change on Human Evolution explores the opportunities of using scientific research to improve our understanding of how climate may have helped shape our species. Improved climate records for specific regions will be required before it is possible to evaluate how critical resources for hominins, especially water and vegetation, would have been distributed on the landscape during key intervals of hominin history. Existing records contain substantial temporal gaps. The book's initiatives are presented in two major research themes: first, determining the impacts of climate change and climate variability on human evolution and dispersal; and second, integrating climate modeling, environmental records, and biotic responses. Understanding Climate's Change on Human Evolution suggests a new scientific program for international climate and human evolution studies that involve an exploration initiative to locate new fossil sites and to broaden the geographic and temporal sampling of the fossil and archeological record; a comprehensive and integrative scientific drilling program in lakes, lake bed outcrops, and ocean basins surrounding the regions where hominins evolved and a major investment in climate modeling experiments for key time intervals and regions that are critical to understanding human evolution.

The Paleoanthropology and Archaeology of Big-Game Hunting

Author : John D. Speth
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1441967338
Total Pages : 259 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (419 download)

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Book Synopsis The Paleoanthropology and Archaeology of Big-Game Hunting by : John D. Speth

Download or read book The Paleoanthropology and Archaeology of Big-Game Hunting written by John D. Speth and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-09-08 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since its inception, paleoanthropology has been closely wedded to the idea that big-game hunting by our hominin ancestors arose, first and foremost, as a means for acquiring energy and vital nutrients. This assumption has rarely been questioned, and seems intuitively obvious—meat is a nutrient-rich food with the ideal array of amino acids, and big animals provide meat in large, convenient packages. Through new research, the author of this volume provides a strong argument that the primary goals of big-game hunting were actually social and political—increasing hunter’s prestige and standing—and that the nutritional component was just an added bonus. Through a comprehensive, interdisciplinary research approach, the author examines the historical and current perceptions of protein as an important nutrient source, the biological impact of a high-protein diet and the evidence of this in the archaeological record, and provides a compelling reexamination of this long-held conclusion. This volume will be of interest to researchers in Archaeology, Evolutionary Biology, and Paleoanthropology, particularly those studying diet and nutrition.

The Evolution of the Primate Hand

Author : Tracy L. Kivell
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 1493936468
Total Pages : 587 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (939 download)

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Book Synopsis The Evolution of the Primate Hand by : Tracy L. Kivell

Download or read book The Evolution of the Primate Hand written by Tracy L. Kivell and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-08-10 with total page 587 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book demonstrates how the primate hand combines both primitive and novel morphology, both general function with specialization, and both a remarkable degree of diversity within some clades and yet general similarity across many others. Across the chapters, different authors have addressed a variety of specific questions and provided their perspectives, but all explore the main themes described above to provide an overarching “primitive primate hand” thread to the book. Each chapter provides an in-depth review and critical account of the available literature, a balanced interpretation of the evidence from a variety of perspectives, and prospects for future research questions. In order to make this a useful resource for researchers at all levels, the basic structure of each chapter is the same, so that information can be easily consulted from chapter to chapter. An extensive reference list is provided at the end of each chapter so the reader has additional resources to address more specific questions or to find specific data.

Primate Origins: Adaptations and Evolution

Author : Matthew J. Ravosa
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0387335072
Total Pages : 846 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (873 download)

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Book Synopsis Primate Origins: Adaptations and Evolution by : Matthew J. Ravosa

Download or read book Primate Origins: Adaptations and Evolution written by Matthew J. Ravosa and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-01-05 with total page 846 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a novel focus on adaptive explanations for cranial and postcranial features and functional complexes, socioecological systems, life history patterns, etc. in early primates. It further offers a detailed rendering of the phylogenetic affinities of such basal taxa to later primate clades as well as to other early/recent mammalian orders. In addition to the strictly paleontological or systemic questions regarding Primate Origins, the editors concentrate on the adaptive significance of primate characteristics. Thus, the book provides the broadest possible perspective on early primate phylogeny and the adaptive uniqueness of the Order Primates.

Reproduction and Fitness in Baboons: Behavioral, Ecological, and Life History Perspectives

Author : Larissa Swedell
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0387336745
Total Pages : 319 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (873 download)

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Book Synopsis Reproduction and Fitness in Baboons: Behavioral, Ecological, and Life History Perspectives by : Larissa Swedell

Download or read book Reproduction and Fitness in Baboons: Behavioral, Ecological, and Life History Perspectives written by Larissa Swedell and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-11-25 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume brings together current research on the behavior, ecology, reproduction, and life history of baboons of the genus Papio, shedding light on what makes baboons successful. The book focuses on issues such as infanticide, mating strategies and investment, hybridization and genetics. The findings have broad applications to understanding the evolution of complex life history adaptations in other primates, and of humans in particular.

Monsoon Evolution and Tectonics

Author : Peter D. Clift
Publisher : Geological Society of London
ISBN 13 : 9781862393103
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (931 download)

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Book Synopsis Monsoon Evolution and Tectonics by : Peter D. Clift

Download or read book Monsoon Evolution and Tectonics written by Peter D. Clift and published by Geological Society of London. This book was released on 2010 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Earth's climate varies through geological time as a result of external, orbital processes, as well as the positions of continents, growth of mountains and the opening and closure of oceanic gateways. Climate modelling suggests that the intensity of the Asian monsoon should correlate, at least in part, with the uplift history of the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalaya, as well as the evolution of gateways and the retreat of shallow seas in Central Asia. Long-term reconstructions of both mountain building and monsoon activity are key to testing the proposed links. This collection of papers presents a series of new studies documenting the variations of the Asian monsoon on orbital and tectonic timescales, together with the impact this has had on environmental conditions. The issue of which proxies are best suited to measuring monsoons is addressed, as is the effect that the monsoon has had on erosion and the formation of the stratigraphic record both on and offshore.

Primate Adaptation and Evolution

Author : John Fleagle
Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0123786339
Total Pages : 495 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (237 download)

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Book Synopsis Primate Adaptation and Evolution by : John Fleagle

Download or read book Primate Adaptation and Evolution written by John Fleagle and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2013-03-08 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Primate Adaptation and Evolution, Third Edition, is a thorough revision of the text of choice for courses in primate evolution. The book retains its grounding in the extant primate groups as the best way to understand the fossil trail and the evolution of these modern forms. However, this coverage is now streamlined, making reference to the many new and excellent books on living primate ecology and adaptation – a field that has burgeoned since the first edition of Primate Adaptation and Evolution. By drawing out the key features of the extant families and referring to more detailed texts, the author sets the scene and also creates space for a thorough updating of the exciting developments in primate palaeontology – and the reconstruction through early hominid species – of our own human origins. This updated version covers recent developments in primate paleontology and the latest taxonomy, and includes over 200 new illustrations and revised evolutionary trees. This text is ideal for undergraduate and post-graduate students studying the evolution and functional ecology of primates and early fossil hominids. - Long-awaited revision of the standard student text on primate evolution - Full coverage of newly discovered fossils and the latest taxonomy - Over 200 new illustrations and revised evolutionary trees