How did we adapt?
As Homo sapiens, we have embarked on a gruelling journey of adaption as we have been exposed to constant change throughout out our evolution, however, we as a species have had many survivalist advantages. To survive, Homo sapiens were required to adapt. An adaption is the result of selection pressures acting against the species, and these adaptions are generally able to be passed on through generations, allowing continual adaption. We are now known as the most adaptable mammals, as we have been able to cope with many variable environmental changes.
Our core adaption began when the species became bipedal, allowing us to free our hands for use to construct tools and defend ourselves. This adaption occurred through the Australopithecus afarensis line, and such an adjustment allowed the species and those species that later evolved, to inhabit different habitats and created the ability to use our hands in a different way to its ancestors. Following the capability to walk upright, tools were introduced, as the hands were now free to utilise. This introduction of tools provided many benefits such as they presented a defence mechanism but, it is also opened up our evolving genus to a whole range of food sources that never were originally consumed as lack of tools made it difficult to process. Lastly, by examining the evidence of evolution that we have acquired from the fossil record and genetic testing, we have been able to determine that our brain complexity has been continuously adapting with time, increasing our complexity as a genus. This adaption allows us to process far more information and this in turn allows us to assess our environments and the situations that we are placed in and comprehend the future steps that are required to survive. Not only has the evolution of the Homo brain allowed an increase in thought processing, it has increased the ability to communicate with others of our populations, allowing us to think together and also pass on cultural and technological knowledge to the next generations to hopefully benefit further advancements.
All of these adaptions and the genus’ ever growing ability to adapt to their environment allowed us to escape devastating historical events, such as the Toba eruption, as we had the increased ability to protect ourselves against the changing environmental conditions. Although it is also theorised that the Toba disaster was not to blame for the mass winter that was experienced some 70,000 years ago, there is still evidence that there was an extended gruelling winter which threatened human life. Through the ability to locate and process food, create tools and weapons, create fire and protect themselves against the elements trough building protection and even locating safe regions, the Homo genus were able to contend with the changing environmental factors threatening their way of life.
The rapid explosion of artistic flare around 40,000 years ago has lead scientists to believe that, not that the art helped survival, but that around this time, the Homo sapien line underwent a major change in human cognition. This allows the belief that Homo sapiens were now able to communicate and and memorise at a greater rate. Furthermore, through the rapid adaption of art and expression, it is believed that as population size increases, as does the cultural attributes within a population as with a larger population, social learning is increased dramatically. The fact that the Homo sapien species painted their stories allowed them to communicate their understanding and learnings to future generations and by doing so, the cultural evolution of the species increased as generations continued to evolve. The more information recorded, the further advanced a species became and with the more communicating between the generations and the learning that took place also resulted in the adaption of a larger, more complex brain as the Homo sapiens species began to interpret and store larger amounts of information and knowledge. As the size of the Homo sapiens species increased, it is assumed that our cognitive abilities also improved.
As a comparison of adaptive ability, the Neanderthals and the Homo sapiens demonstrate differing abilities. The Neanderthals migrated to the European regions of the world, however they were more susceptible the abilities of the selection pressures of the changing environment. As they were lacking in the ability to adapt at a rapid pace, unlike the Homo sapiens they soon died out once the Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa and formed social groups, allowing the survival of a mass population. Furthermore, the Homo sapiens were able to utilise and manipulate the use of fire, unlike the Neanderthals, and this allowed the Homo sapiens to survive in colder regions than the Neanderthals, forcing the extinction of the Neanderthals. Not only did fire aid in the survival of the Homo sapiens in comparison to the Neanderthals, the Homo sapiens pursued the ability to create animal hide clothing to be worn in the colder regions of the world, sheltering them from the brutal environment in a manner in which the Neanderthals could not. All of these attributes in evolution have allowed the Homo sapiens line to excel in comparison to others, allowing our survival and their extinction.
Our core adaption began when the species became bipedal, allowing us to free our hands for use to construct tools and defend ourselves. This adaption occurred through the Australopithecus afarensis line, and such an adjustment allowed the species and those species that later evolved, to inhabit different habitats and created the ability to use our hands in a different way to its ancestors. Following the capability to walk upright, tools were introduced, as the hands were now free to utilise. This introduction of tools provided many benefits such as they presented a defence mechanism but, it is also opened up our evolving genus to a whole range of food sources that never were originally consumed as lack of tools made it difficult to process. Lastly, by examining the evidence of evolution that we have acquired from the fossil record and genetic testing, we have been able to determine that our brain complexity has been continuously adapting with time, increasing our complexity as a genus. This adaption allows us to process far more information and this in turn allows us to assess our environments and the situations that we are placed in and comprehend the future steps that are required to survive. Not only has the evolution of the Homo brain allowed an increase in thought processing, it has increased the ability to communicate with others of our populations, allowing us to think together and also pass on cultural and technological knowledge to the next generations to hopefully benefit further advancements.
All of these adaptions and the genus’ ever growing ability to adapt to their environment allowed us to escape devastating historical events, such as the Toba eruption, as we had the increased ability to protect ourselves against the changing environmental conditions. Although it is also theorised that the Toba disaster was not to blame for the mass winter that was experienced some 70,000 years ago, there is still evidence that there was an extended gruelling winter which threatened human life. Through the ability to locate and process food, create tools and weapons, create fire and protect themselves against the elements trough building protection and even locating safe regions, the Homo genus were able to contend with the changing environmental factors threatening their way of life.
The rapid explosion of artistic flare around 40,000 years ago has lead scientists to believe that, not that the art helped survival, but that around this time, the Homo sapien line underwent a major change in human cognition. This allows the belief that Homo sapiens were now able to communicate and and memorise at a greater rate. Furthermore, through the rapid adaption of art and expression, it is believed that as population size increases, as does the cultural attributes within a population as with a larger population, social learning is increased dramatically. The fact that the Homo sapien species painted their stories allowed them to communicate their understanding and learnings to future generations and by doing so, the cultural evolution of the species increased as generations continued to evolve. The more information recorded, the further advanced a species became and with the more communicating between the generations and the learning that took place also resulted in the adaption of a larger, more complex brain as the Homo sapiens species began to interpret and store larger amounts of information and knowledge. As the size of the Homo sapiens species increased, it is assumed that our cognitive abilities also improved.
As a comparison of adaptive ability, the Neanderthals and the Homo sapiens demonstrate differing abilities. The Neanderthals migrated to the European regions of the world, however they were more susceptible the abilities of the selection pressures of the changing environment. As they were lacking in the ability to adapt at a rapid pace, unlike the Homo sapiens they soon died out once the Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa and formed social groups, allowing the survival of a mass population. Furthermore, the Homo sapiens were able to utilise and manipulate the use of fire, unlike the Neanderthals, and this allowed the Homo sapiens to survive in colder regions than the Neanderthals, forcing the extinction of the Neanderthals. Not only did fire aid in the survival of the Homo sapiens in comparison to the Neanderthals, the Homo sapiens pursued the ability to create animal hide clothing to be worn in the colder regions of the world, sheltering them from the brutal environment in a manner in which the Neanderthals could not. All of these attributes in evolution have allowed the Homo sapiens line to excel in comparison to others, allowing our survival and their extinction.
Figure 7.1: Miller, M. (2015, July 22). Use of fire by Peking Man goes back 600,000 years, Chinese scientists say. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
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Figure 7.2: Prehistoric man - early Homo sapiens timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2015.
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Figure 7.3: Anati, E. (n.d.). Artepreistorica.com | ART AND CONCEPTUALITY OF THE HOMO SAPIENS. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
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