Due to findings of Australopithecus Anamensis fossils it was able to determine that they lived between 4.2-3.9 years ago by radiometric dating and they lived around Middle Awash, Ethiopia and Lake Turkana in Kenya, Africa. They showed similar characteristics to Homo Sapiens as they were bipedal (signified by their expanded tibia human-like of the ankle joint), flexible elbow joints, and their teeth indicated they were pant-eaters. Although, they also appeared ape-like due to their long forearms and wrist bones displaying they were mainly tree-climbers, their extremely sloped face, flat nose, small braincase (not enough evidence to determine exactly how small) and large: cheekbones, brow ridge, jaw and teeth.
Approximately the height of a male is about 151cm and 50kg, and females were 129cm and 30kg. |
Figure 2
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Australopithecus Aferensis' lived between 3.85-2.95 years ago, around Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, Eastern Africa. This specie rapidly developed and reached adulthood and were sexually mature at about 7 years old. They had protruding brows, high cheeks, their brain capacity was a little larger than Australopithecus Anamensis, but still only about 320 to 500cc and were bipedal. Their jaw and teeth were slightly smaller than the Australopithecus Anamensis. They were tree-climbers.Their bones showed they were physically very strong. Males average height was 151cm and weighed 42kg whereas females was 105cm and weighed 29kg.
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Figure 3
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3.3-2.1 years ago, the Australopithecus lived around South Africa. They had the cranium capacity of about 461cc. They had features of long arms, sloped face, large flat nose and a slightly smaller brow ridge and teeth than previous human ancestors. Males were about 138cm tall and 41kg and on average females were 115cm and 30kgs.
They struggled with a narrow birth canal and had ape-like appearance, such as; curved fingers and toes. Sticks, unmodified rocks and scavenged animal bones were used as tools. It is believed that they were mainly herbivores but may have scavenged for animal meat, but overall ate very little. |
Figure 4
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Australopithecus Garhi's fossils were discovered in Bouri, Middle Awash, Ethiopia, Eastern Africa, with their little evidence it is thought they lived about 2.5 million years ago. With a brain size of about 450cc, they are presumed to be slightly larger in body size than the Australopithecus Aferensis, with a more advanced teeth features(likely due to adapting to chew harder/tougher foods). Their brow ridge is somewhat small and legs were more modern-human-like compared to previous ancestors.
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Figure 5
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The species Australopithecus Sediba, is shown to live in South Africa, 1.977-1.98 years ago. Resemblance of homo-sapiens was presented through the pelvis as it revealed it had gradually adapted to bipedalism, and also modern-human-like their teeth traits, broad lower chest. Their cranium size was about 420cm3, but the right and left side of the brain was uneven. Ape-like trait but were less obvious, despite acquiring a weakly arched brow ridge, flat and large nose, jaw and teeth.
It is expected that they ate mainly plant-based foods and possibly small animals. |
Figure 6
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In 1985 a discovery of a Paranthropus Aethiopicus fossil, that was shown to live 2.3-2.7 years ago, its believed they lived in Turkana basin of Northern Kenya, southern Ethiopia, possibly in the woodlands or savanna. The fossil carried a prominent and slanted face with large nose and a powerful jaw and jaw muscles with massive megadont teeth which allowed them to chew tough food. They were bipedal and had long arms. The average cranium capacity was 410cc.
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Figure 7
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Approximately among 1.2-2.3 years ago, they lived around Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi, Eastern Africa. The skull had vigorous temporalis muscles and teeth molars and premolars. They had outstanding cheekbones that gave them a very wide, dish-shaped face, creating a larger opening for bigger foods and teeth that are four times the size of a modern human’s. It's expected by teeth wear that they are large amounts of tough vegetation and may have eaten some meat, but only in insignificant amounts.
Roughly males height was 137cm and 49kg. Females were considered to be about 124cm high and 34kg. Their skull capacity was about 500-550cc. It is speculated that they participated in social groups, similar to modern gorillas. |
Figure 8
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Throughout 1.8-1.2 years ago Paranthropus Robustus lived in South Africa. In Figure 9 it is demonstrated that this hominin has a prognathic jaw, extreme brow bone, slanted face, large nose and small cranial capacity of 530cc. They also have a more anterior foramen magnum position.
A males height is 1.2m and weighs 54kg, and a female usually is 100cm tall and 40kg. |
Figure 9
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Also known as the 'Handy Man', as they were believe to create the first stone tool; core tols, scrappers, and choppers. This specie lived 1.4-2.4 years ago in Eastern and Southern Africa. This specie had a larger cranium, smaller teeth and face than previous hominin ancestors, despite still having ape-like traits such as long arms and jaw that stood out. Their braincase varied between 750 and 1225 cc. Male grew to about 130cm and females grew to about 110cm in height. Their typical weight was 32kg. Their diet included mostly plants but possibly some meats.
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Figure 10
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Northern Kenya, possibly northern Tanzania and Malawi about 1.8-1.9 years ago, Homo Rudolfensis. This species features consists of a longer and flat face, larger molars and pre-molars, bipedal (without the ability to move in way homo-saspiens can) and an immense cranial capacity of 775cc. Ate meat and plants.
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Figure 11
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Homo Erectus was the longest living early hominin, they evolved at about 1.89-143,000 years ago. Their forehead was low and flat, a slightly protruding brow ridge, large nasal openings, relatively large teeth, large lower jawbone, pointed back of skull and ridged top of skull. Their body proportion is very similar to modern humans. Their cranial space was 750-1225. The homo erectus' hair began to dissappear due to development of complex sweat glands, therefore they did not pant. This allowed gave clear to ability of speech. They had evolved physical and mental qualities. They usually kept in groups for society safety. The unique attribute of caring for one another and sticking together even through sickness and injury was conducted. Found evidence of a Homo Erectus having an repaired injury but living for years after, indicated that the individual was nurtured due to impossibility of survival when injured and alone. This specie's technological evolution was intensely advanced as they used fire and hand axes to increase protection against competition and predators. This almost Homo Sapien specie commonly lived in rock shelters, whilst eating both plants and meat, although they had access to meat they didn't truly hunt it.
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Figure 12
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About 700,000-200,000 years ago Homo Heidelbergensis were found in Europe, possibly China, Asia and Eastern and Southern Africa. This species has an incredibly low browridge, flatter face, shorter jaw and a brain-space of approximately 125occ. Males developed to about 175cm tall and 62kg, and females up to about 157cm and 51kg. Their improved skills with fire and tool creations were needed as they were the first early human specie to live in a colder environment and routinely hunt larger animals. Their intelligence was seen as they were able to buld shelter and build dwellings from simple materials.
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Figure 13
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In Southern Europe and South-West of Asia, Neanderthals were discovered, they lived in the period of 400,000-40,000. They typically lived in cave dwellers. They had angled cheek bones (as displayed in figure 14), rounded chins, large eye sockets, huge nasal cavities (due t adapting to humidity, and they had a highly evolved sense of smell that could be used for survival), a large cranium capacity that was larger than Homo Sapiens at about 1300cc (but not more intelligent) and a strongly built, long, low and wide skull. This species began to cook their own food to prevent bacterial illnesses, this suggests evidence of adapting and change of the body to become eventually more like modern humans. Males usually grew up to 168cm and females to 156cm. Their sophistication of wearing clothes, occasionally made symbolic or ornamental objects, burring their dead and occasionally marking their graves with flowers. Their advancement with technological and cultural evolution increased.
Unfortunately competition drove them to extinction. |
Figure 14
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From 100,000-50,000 years ago the Homo Floresiensis lived in Indonesia, Asia. Also known as 'The Hobbit', notably seen in figure 15, compared to the modern human's hand it is distinguished that this species was certainly small. They has no chin, short legs, shrugged-forward shoulders, receding forehead, quite large teeth and feet for their tiny size and miniature brains of 380cc. They averaged about 106cm and 30kg.
Evidence of use of stone tools to hunt elephants and large rodents. They were able to cope with predators and may have used fire. |
Figure 15
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Homo sapiens evolved spectacularly about 200,000 years ago till now. Our species began in Africa and is now worldwide. The modern humans gather and hunt food, communicate through speech, evolved behaviours from others, have large brains of approximately 1300cc, high vaulted skull with a flat and near vertical forehead, smaller jaw and teeth and a profoundly exceptional technological evolution. The regular male height is 175cm where as a female is 160cm. The Homo Sapien is the most intelligent known hominin.
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Figure 16
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