Human evolution

Human evolution

1. primates

   • an order of animals with grasping hands, nails, rather than claws or forward facing eyes

2. hominidae

   • the family to which humans and the extinct genus australopithecus belong

3. australopithecis

   • a genus in the family hominidae that probably ancestral to the genus homo

4. phylogenetic tree

   • a branching diagram that depicts the evolutionary relationships of organisms

5. out of africa

   • a model proposing that a common ancestor of all modern humans evolved in africa and then migrated out to colonise the whole earth
     • ancestors evolved between 200 000 and 100 000 years ago
     • a small sub group left africa, around 60 000 years ago to colonise the earth
     • colonised the entire earth by about 15 000 years ago

6. mitchondrial DNA

   • DNA contained within the cell mitochondria and passed from mother to sons and daughters

7. humans

   • class
     • mammalia
   • order
     • primates
   • family
     • hominidae
   • genus
     • homo

8. evolutionary changes in hominids

   • the face becomes flatter , more vertical
   • the lower jaw shortens and does not project out as far
   • a chin develops
   • the forehead becomes more vertical
   • the craniam enlarges and becomes more rounded
   • cranial capacity increases

Images and files in the map