Becoming Human: Last Human Standing
Who exactly were our ancestors? And why are we the only ones on earth? With the help of evidence we are starting to get grip of some theories and predictions. From the 4 videos we watched in class, I learned many facts about Neanderthals, Homo Heidi and Homo Erectus and what happened to them causing us to change. Our ancestors first started in Africa and slowly started migrating to different places for different reasons; climate, food etc. About 50,000years ago there were 4 different human types living together on earth, but then how come only humans survived? With the Homo Erectus movement, the ones that moved to Europe because Neanderthals, were as the ones that stayed in Africa a bit longer developed into Homo Sapiens. Neanderthals had bigger brains than humans, but this doesn't mean they knew exactly how to use it, their survival level was twice as long as ours, and they survived through the ice age. The oldest neanderthal fossil, August 2, was found in 1829, and with all the fossil we have, we can say that about 25,000 years ago all the neanderthals vanished just like all the other types.
What is it about us that allowed us to survive?
Since Homo Sapiens started, and began moving across the Earth, all the ancient animals and ancestors started dissapearing. Studies have revealed that we are the only humans standing because of our food diet, tool limits and advanced technology. What was it about the Neanderthals and Homo Heidi that didn't allow them to survive? These 2 ancestors were used to only eating meat, because of the availability of their tools, they never thought of eating plants or fish, because of this, once we came along, and met Homo Neanderthals, we started hunting all the meat and leaving them with no food. Our advanced tools allowed us to go fishing and have a wider variety of food. Because of the tools we created we were able to stay further away from our pray and not get hurt were as Neanderthals had to get close since their tools wouldn't travel a very long difference. Relating to the animals, such as mammoths and wild tigers, Homo Sapiens most probably killed them for food, and because of this they extinct a short period after the arrival of modern humans, us.
Who is our common ancestor with Neanderthals?
Before Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals started developing, the homo that was alive, was Homo Heidi. Homo Heidi is thought as our common ancestor from whom we started developing one way and Neanderthals an other way.
What similarities/differences do we share with Neanderthals?
One big question that was being asked, was: could Neanderthals speak? In our body we have a DNA strain that allows us to speak, and communicate with different languages, as studies have shown, Neanderthals had this gene as well meaning, yes they could speak, probably not very complex words, but still our beginning. Finding remains of caves under ground, archaeologist found caves with Homo bones and some tool, a hole at the top of the earth also suggested Neanderthals had a burial ritual. Although we have these similarities we share, their brain were bigger, their body taller and Homo Sapiens are more advanced.
So after all, Homo Sapiens are the last humans standing because of our food diet, tool usage and ability to adapt to different places. However, we still haven't lived as long as the Neanderthals, now it remains a mystery how much longer we will be here, the last humans standing.
Who exactly were our ancestors? And why are we the only ones on earth? With the help of evidence we are starting to get grip of some theories and predictions. From the 4 videos we watched in class, I learned many facts about Neanderthals, Homo Heidi and Homo Erectus and what happened to them causing us to change. Our ancestors first started in Africa and slowly started migrating to different places for different reasons; climate, food etc. About 50,000years ago there were 4 different human types living together on earth, but then how come only humans survived? With the Homo Erectus movement, the ones that moved to Europe because Neanderthals, were as the ones that stayed in Africa a bit longer developed into Homo Sapiens. Neanderthals had bigger brains than humans, but this doesn't mean they knew exactly how to use it, their survival level was twice as long as ours, and they survived through the ice age. The oldest neanderthal fossil, August 2, was found in 1829, and with all the fossil we have, we can say that about 25,000 years ago all the neanderthals vanished just like all the other types.
What is it about us that allowed us to survive?
Since Homo Sapiens started, and began moving across the Earth, all the ancient animals and ancestors started dissapearing. Studies have revealed that we are the only humans standing because of our food diet, tool limits and advanced technology. What was it about the Neanderthals and Homo Heidi that didn't allow them to survive? These 2 ancestors were used to only eating meat, because of the availability of their tools, they never thought of eating plants or fish, because of this, once we came along, and met Homo Neanderthals, we started hunting all the meat and leaving them with no food. Our advanced tools allowed us to go fishing and have a wider variety of food. Because of the tools we created we were able to stay further away from our pray and not get hurt were as Neanderthals had to get close since their tools wouldn't travel a very long difference. Relating to the animals, such as mammoths and wild tigers, Homo Sapiens most probably killed them for food, and because of this they extinct a short period after the arrival of modern humans, us.
Who is our common ancestor with Neanderthals?Before Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals started developing, the homo that was alive, was Homo Heidi. Homo Heidi is thought as our common ancestor from whom we started developing one way and Neanderthals an other way.
What similarities/differences do we share with Neanderthals?
One big question that was being asked, was: could Neanderthals speak? In our body we have a DNA strain that allows us to speak, and communicate with different languages, as studies have shown, Neanderthals had this gene as well meaning, yes they could speak, probably not very complex words, but still our beginning. Finding remains of caves under ground, archaeologist found caves with Homo bones and some tool, a hole at the top of the earth also suggested Neanderthals had a burial ritual. Although we have these similarities we share, their brain were bigger, their body taller and Homo Sapiens are more advanced.
So after all, Homo Sapiens are the last humans standing because of our food diet, tool usage and ability to adapt to different places. However, we still haven't lived as long as the Neanderthals, now it remains a mystery how much longer we will be here, the last humans standing.
"Last Human Standing." Becoming Human. PBS NOVA. 31 Aug. 2011. Television.
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