Homo floresiensis commonly known as the hobbit, due to their height, is an extinct species of the genus homo. Fossils of this species were discovered in 2003 by a group of Australian researchers on an adventure to a cave called Liang Bua located on Indonesian island of Flores. It is said that the species lived as recently as 13,000 years ago, meaning they were around during the same time as modern humans. Knowing that Homo floresiensis had been living during that period of time made a controversial issue regarding their position in the human evolutionary tree.
Some scientists say the species could have either been a late surviving early homo species or modern individuals with disorder growth. From what scientists have obtained such as skulls
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However, I would discard this probability because the chance of this disease affecting a whole group of species is insane. In the other hand, we humans are known to be very intelligent, therefore it is reasonable to believe that we have been evolving for millions of years and this has been proven by many researchers. Some scientists believe that as environment on earth evolved, so did humans. A significant human body part that has evolved has been the brain. The brain has evolved simultaneously with the environment; the size of the brain corresponds with the environment, growing just enough to survive. Our brain has approximately tripled the size in the past seven million years which explains why the homo floresiensis did not have the same size brain as modern …show more content…
It seemed like hobbits used these tools as a source of survival and hunted down animals such as: komodo dragons, small elephants, and big rodents. However, these stone tools were too sophisticated for a small brain creature to make (“Homo floresiensis: The Hobbit”) or even believe to be the creation of Homo erectus. Some scientists say it may be the work of Homo sapiens and that both species did encounter each other. This, however, has not been proven because it is said that modern humans arrived in the island of Flores about eleven thousand years ago. What if homo floresiensis did create these tools? Sounds a little crazy and unbelievable because how could’ve a previous species in the human evolutionary tree make a more sophisticated tool than its evolution? Well what if Homo erectus did not evolve from homo floresiensis and instead it was the other way around. We could say that this idea also sounds crazy, but the truth is that this is a pocket full of
Humanity became fascinated with the idea of evolution with the work of Charles Darwin and the Scientific Revolution. People began hunting for fossils that would prove that man had an ape derived ancestry (Weiner, 1955). After various years of searching, a piece of physical evidence was found in England that was said to confirm the theory of evolution (Weiner, 1955).This confirmation came from Charles Dawson’s discoveries from 1908, that were announced publicly in 1912 (Thackeray, 2011). Dawson was believed to have found the fossil remains of the “missing link” between ape and human evolution, the reconstructed skull of Piltdown man (Augustine, 2006). The material was found in stratigraphical evidence and animal remains that were, at the time, adequate enough to confirm the antiquity of the remains (Weiner, 1955). In 1915, another specimen, Piltdown man II, was found further proving this theory (Augustine, 2006). However, this was merely a hoax proven by fluorine relative dating in 1953; the artifacts and bone fragments discovered turned out to be altered to fit the proposed scenario (Augustine, 2006). The skull found was actually composed of a human braincase that was younger than the complimentary orangutan lower jaw (Falk, 2011). Both sections of the skull had been stained to appear to be from the same person of the same age (Falk, 2011).The perpetrator of this act was never caught and there are many theories proposed for the motive of this hoax (Augustine, 2006). Many people have been taken into consideration for this crime, such as Chardin, Woodward, Hinton, and Dawson (Augustine, 2006). Nevertheless, the evidence that proves that Dawson is guilty of this crime against anthropology is quite substantial compared to the evidence...
Over the last few hundred years, more and more has been added to the world’s fossil collection, fossils from all over the world. New theories have been created and old theories have almost been proven about the evolution of man. For example, we have proof that different species of man existed with certain types of DNA sequences and instincts, some we may not have anymore, or some that other species did not have back then. Even though it is subjected to much debate, one of the most widely accepted theories however, is that Homo sapiens interbred with the slightly more primitive species of man, the Neanderthal.
The evolution of man is constantly in question. While we are reasonably sure that modern humans and primates are both related to the same common ancestor, there is constant debate over what initially caused the two species to split into early hominids and apes. According to some, our longest and most popular theory on the division of man and ape is profoundly wrong. However, those same individuals usually offer an equally controversial theory as a substitute, one that is almost impossible to scientifically test or prove. Both the Savanna Theory and the Aquatic Ape Theory offer solutions to how and why humans evolved into bipedal toolmakers. But with enough questioning, each loses its accountability to rhetorical science.
Did Jane Goodall’s research find the evidence about chimp’s tool making? Is the human the only species able to make the tool? How do you correlate this with human culture?
Australopithecus afarensis who existed 3.5 million years ago and a 4.4 million year old skeleton of an Ardipithecus ramidus are the closest science has come to discovering the human lineage. Shattered Ancestry an article written by Katherine Harmon discusses the remains of two hominids found within Ethiopia. These skeletal remains have created a huge controversy within the topic of evolution questioning many assumptions that have been made referencing the human lineage. The skeleton of the Australopithecus afarensis was named Lucy and was discovered in 1974. The evidence of her walking upright on her two feet essentially guaranteed her a spot in the human lineage line. Lucy was a chimplike ape that was said to walk upright making scientists believe the human ancestry was simple. The complete skeleton found in Ethiopia of an Ardipithecus ramidus named Ardi completely changed all assumptions made from scientists about the complexity of the human lineage. These remains have encouraged researches that the human line is not the only lineage to have evolved but the chimpanzee line has undergone drastic changes as well. There are many traits that researchers have always directly linked to the human lineage however since these discoveries occurred researchers are reconsidering. The recent discoveries that have shattered what has always suggested what linked a species to the human lineage have changed the certainty of whether it is possible to confidently identify the human’s last common ancestor. Majority of scientist had forgotten that there would have been many hominid species living together at one time. New theories have been suggested since scientists revealed that the foot of a hominid found called the Burtele site was found ju...
Shuker, K. 2001. The Hidden Powers of Animals: Uncovering the Secrets of Nature. London, England: Marshall Editions Ltd. p. 128.
There is evidence to suggest that Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens had coexisted for approximately 35-40,000 years, (Fagan 2010) from around 60,000 years ago to 25,000 years ago when they finally went extinct (Gibbon 2001). Anthropologists are still uncertain what the cause of their extinction was. This paper will analyze three main theories of Neanderthal extinction. The first theory is the competition theory, which claims that the Homo sapiens and Neanderthals had to compete for resources, ultimately leading to their demise. The second theory I will discuss is the climate change theory, which claims that Homo sapiens lived while Neanderthals died because they were better adapted to the climate. The last theory I will discuss is the possible “extinction through absorption” theory which claims the Neanderthal interbred with the Homo sapiens and became one species. In this paper I will also be comparing the technologies, and diets of both species. In addition, I will look at the anatomic relation between the Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, how their body shape and size differed, and if this gave any advantage to one side or the other. My thesis for this paper will state that Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis had co-existed but the disappearance of the Neanderthal in Eurasia is due to the appearance of the more culturally advanced and genetically superior Homo sapiens and the failure of the Neanderthal to adapt in an evolving climate.
The species A. afarensis is one of the better known australopithecines, with regards to the number of samples attributed to the species. From speculations about their close relatives, the gorilla and chimpanzee, A. afarensis’ probable social structure can be presumed. The species was named by Johanson and Taieb in 1973. This discovery of a skeleton lead to a heated debate over the validity of the species. The species eventually was accepted by most researchers as a new species of australopithecine and a likely candidate for a human ancestor.
My own opinion on this issue is that from the evidence at hand, there is no way to know for sure whether or not the Neanderthals were our species. From the skeletal evidence, it is clear that they were anatomically different from modern humans, and we know that this is because of geographic isolation. We also know that they have been found in the same locations, and it appears at the same time. If they were truly part of our species, then there would have been blending of the two types in these places. Trying to determine this from fossilized bones from a tiny percent of the population, limited DNA, and imperfect dating methods is impossible. Even if anthropologists think they are sure of either viewpoint, there may be evidence out there that will prove them wrong. So at this point in time, I think both scenarios are equally possible.
Heyerdahl countered every scientists’ belief by supplying them with his substantial evidence and by eventually setting out to sea himself. He argued that Polynesians had originated from Peru, and not Asia. With a strong trust in the numerous connections found between the Polynesians and the ancient Inca tribes, Heyerdahl set out to sea astonishing the world with his daring adventure over the Pacific Ocean in a simple raft. Not only was this journey a significant scientific feat, but it also proved that scientists had underestimated the use of a simple balsa wood raft by ancient people. The Kon-Tiki proved the previously believed theory wrong, which raises the question--what other beliefs could be challenged?
Bindon, Jim 2004 Fossil Hominids. ANT 270 Notes. http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/bindon/ant270/lectures/ hominids1.pdf Delson, Eric 1981
“The scientific study of how humans developed did not begin until the 1800s in Europe. Until that time, people relied on religious explanations of how humans came into existence. Starting in the 1500s a scientific revolution began to sweep Europe. Thinkers started using scientific methods and experiments to try to better understand the world and the creatures living in it. Eventually these methods were turned to the question of human origins” (The Nature Of Human Origins, 1). Earth made it possible for species to change over time because Ancient Earth provides ability to plenty of time.The Homo Sapien a is very complex creature. The species started off very simple by living in caves and surviving with little food and then later evolved into a species that were able to do many more complex things. The first species was Sahelanthropus tchadensis They were one of the most simple humans in that time period and on. They had very small skulls compared to Homo Sapiens today and their motor skills were just the same. We have evolved and changed for the better both mentally and physically. The Evolution of Homo Sapiens started off simple, such as the Neanderthals, and now we are the most advanced species to ever walk the planet so far.
The members of the Homo genus possess a combination of unique features that distinguish them from other related species. At the time that each respective species was alive, they were able to walk upright on two legs, use their large brains for the benefit of their species, and could thrive in many geographically and climatically diverse areas of the world. One of the most mysterious quandaries in science is how the lineage of the Homo genus became so different from their primate relatives. Bipedalism, brain size, and location diversity all have a common link that may explain this difference – dietary evolution allowed humans to adapt to their surroundings, and in turn, become a more advanced species. The Homo diet evolved in relation to food availability and nutritional necessity. With the ability to maintain a proper diet, the species of the Homo genus were able to flourish and advance toward the development of modern Homo sapiens.
Science and religion are substantially two different aspects, yet it depends on the individual to choose to believe in what seems more logical to that individual. The significance of this study is to show the evidence that humans have evolved from primates by the use of other researchers’s collection of evidence and data with