Ask a Geologist: Human Evolution - Rutgers Geology Museum...Mauricio Anton In what kinds of...
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Ask a Geologist: Human Evolution By: Dr. Rhonda Quinn Gary Larsen
Transcript of Ask a Geologist: Human Evolution - Rutgers Geology Museum...Mauricio Anton In what kinds of...
Ask a Geologist:Human EvolutionBy: Dr. Rhonda Quinn
Gary Larsen
About MeRhonda Quinn, Ph.D.
● Associate Professor of Anthropology, Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ
● Research Affiliate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Rutgers University in Piscataway, NJ
● I travel to other countries to study ancient humans and paleo-environments(Rift Valley of eastern Africa)
Ask A Geologist Series
My favorite fossil human is Paranthropus boisei, a grass-eater withlarge chewingmuscles and molar teeth
Smithsonian
Human EvolutionHow did we evolve?
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Mauricio Anton
In what kinds of environments did humans evolve?
What traits were successful in these ancient environments?
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Chimps and humans have98-99% DNA in common
Smithsonian
What makes us human?
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Savanna chimp blogspot Georgia State University
Human fossil record
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Smithsonian
Homo erectus
Homo habilis
Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus africanus
A fossil human (hominin) is
identified as having:
• Big brain
• Small teeth
• Bipedal gait
• Tall stature
Our family tree is bushy!
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bipedal ~6 mya
Small teeth~2.5 mya
Big brain ~1 mya
Tall~1.8 mya
Traits evolve at different times…
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Global environments have changed!
Data from marine sediment
and ice cores
Smithsonian
Global cooling:onset of ice ages
Time (mya)
18O
/16O
War
mC
old
Ask A Geologist Series
Global environments have changed!
Smithsonian
Global cooling:onset of ice ages
Fore
sts
Gra
ssla
nds
Time (mya)
18O
/16O
War
mC
old
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Global environments have changed!Fo
rest
sG
rass
land
s
Ancient human diets and habitats
Geochemistry
Analyze chemicals in teeth and paleosolminerals
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Paleosol = ancient soil
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Mass Spectrometer
Radausher (2015)
Rutgers Earth and Planetary SciencesGeochemistry Laboratory
Wynn (2000)
12C
13C
More 13C Less13C
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Mauricio Anton
New ecological niches
Paranthropus boisei
Homo erectus Niche Separation
Understanding Human Adaptations
How do humans respond to changing environments?
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Biologically
Behaviorally
Technologically
Future Directions: more DNA of fossils
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Question Time!
