Lesson 1: Biological and Cultural Evolution:

From Australopithecus to

Homo Sapiens

Biological Evolution• It refers to the changes,

modifications, andvariations in the geneticsand inherited traits ofbiological populationsfrom one generation toanother.

• Scientists study thechanges in the physicalbody of humans, thechanges in the shapeand size of their bones.

Cultural Evolution• It refers to the changes

or development in

cultures from a simple

form to a more complex

form of human culture.

• Scientist study the

cultural evolution of

humans by analyzing

the changes in the

latter’s way of life.

• The evolution of species happens through

the process of natural selection.

• The reason for occurrence of evolution.

• The outcome processes that affect the

frequencies of traits in a particular

environment. Traits that enhance survival

and reproductive success increase in

frequency over time.

• Every species is made up of a variety

of individuals wherein some are

adopted to their environments

compared to others

Variations

• Organisms produce progeny withdifferent sets of traits that can inherited

• Organisms that have traits mostsuitable to their environment willsurvive and transfer these variations totheir offspring in subsequentgenerations

Heritability

Differential reproductive success

• The general term used to categorize thegroup of early humans and otherhumanlike creatures that can walkerect during the prehistoric period.

HOMINIDS

Four Categories of Hominids

1. Sahelanthropus

2. Ardipithecus

3. Australopithecus

4. HOMO

• It had both apelike andhumanlike characteristics:

1. A skull similar toAustralopithecus and modernhuman.

2. Height almost similar with thechimpanzee

3. Brain size: 320-380 cc

4. Small teeth

5. Had the ability to walk upright

1. Sahelanthropus tchadensis

6-7 million years ago

Orrorintugenensis

5.7 million years ago

Ardipithecus

5.6 million years ago

“ape on the ground”Ardipithecus

ArdipithecusKadabba

ArdipithecusRamidus

• 1. height about 4 feet

• 2. weight about 120 pounds

• 3. skull size similar to an ape

• 4. Small brain

• 5. Biped

• 6. lived in jungles and forests like chimpanzees

(5 million- 1million years ago)

“the Southern Ape”

3.Australopithecus

Characteristics

1. Brain size: 500 cc or almost 1/3 size of the modern human brain

2. Upright

3. Biped

4. Tool users not tool makers

5. Food scavengers

• There are 6 species of the Australopithecus and they are divided into two major categories:

Gracile Australophitecus

-Australophitecus afarensis

Australophitecus anamensis

-Australophitecus africanus

Australopithecus

Afarensis

Considered as one of modern human’s earliest ancestors and remains as the most famous hominid fossil discovered

Robust Australophitecus

Australophitecus aethiopicus

Australophitecus robustus

Australophitecus boisei

HOMO

• They are classified as humans and nothumanlike creatures because they had biggerbrains and were bipedal

HOMO HABILIS

• 3-4 FEET

• Brain size: 700 cc

HOMO ERECTUS

• Large Brain size: 1,000cc

• Lived in shelters

• Food gatherers

• Crafted materials

Peking Man

HOMO SAPIENS

• . • Cro - MagnonHomo sapiens Neanderthalensis