Anthropology Exam 3

What makes the process of creating the "core" stone tool challenging? How is this process changing the way neandertals are perceived?

You have to have the right angle to do it the way they did it (to get the particular stone tool). It shows complex cognitive ability.

sexing the cranium

brow ridges (supraorbital torus) mastoid process external occipital protuberance mandible

Nasal opening

practically whole nose euro: narrow african: wider asian: intermediate

How did natural selection act?

rapidly against darker skin as humans moved to northern latitudes. This change probably occurred because ether need for a physiological UV filter was reduced and outweighed by another important biological necessity, the production of vitamin D.

What can forensic anthropologists do?

recover remains determine time since death, create a biological profile, identify trauma pathology

Palate shape

root of mouth/shape of the arch of the teeth/jaw Euro: narrow/parabolic Asian: horseshoe/elliptic African: square/hyperbolic

What are the two things we need to know when analyzing a skeleton

sex and age of the individual (pelvis and skull)

Creating a biological profile

sex, age, ancestry, and stature included

FACT:

some genetically based characteristics will be exhibited no matter what the cultural context of a persons life happens to be.

Punch blade technique

standardized stone blades

One of many evolutionary trees:

Ardipithecus Ramidus--> A. anamensis, a. africanus, A. afarensis--> H. Habilis-->H. Erectus --> H. Heidelburgensis --> Neandertal, Homo Sapiens

What made hunting difficult for Neandertals?

Competition with Homo Sapiens, they were confrontational hunters with big animals, harsh terrain/ice age, and scare game to find

Flaws of Complete replacement model

Doesn't account for interbreeding (apparently very little took place); A critical deduction of the original Stringer and Andrews theory argued that anatomically modern humans appeared as the result of a biological speciation event. So in this view, migrating African modern homo sapiens could not have interbred with local non-African populations, because the African modern humans were a biologically different species.

Who does the mutant allele mostly affect?

European decent, among who its frequency is about 10%. Researchers suggested that this polymorphism exists in Europeans as a result of selective pressures favoring an allele that originally occurred as a rare mutation.

Obesity and related disorders are beginning to have a ______________ effect on humans lives than undernutrition and infectious diseases.

Greater

Examples of physiological pressures (long term)

Heat (sweat), excessive levels of ultraviolet (UV) light

Is heat production or heat retention more efficient?

Heat retention because it require less energy

Who are most likely the ancestors of Homo Sapiens?

Homo heidelbergensis (African populations)

Two rules that pertain to the relationship between body size, body proportions, and climate are Bergmann's rule and Allen's Rule

1. Bermann's Rule concerns the relationship of body mass or volume to surface area. (Increased mass allows for greater heat retention) 2. Allen's Rule concerns shape of the body, especially appendages (long looses heat faster and short appendages are more adaptive)

Art (Modern Homo Sapiens)

1. Rock painting 2. Music 3. Figurines 4. Cave Art

What evidence its being used to demonstrate that Neandertals were using and understanding symbolism?

1. crayon manganese dioxide, using feathers to decorate, etc 2. Horse bone with hematite, shell with pigment, etc. which must likely was used for a body painting kits (paint self to symbolize friend/foe.

How could anatomically modern humans arise separately in different continents and end up so much alike, both physically and genetically? (according to the RCM)

1. denies that the earliest modern Homo Sapiens populations originated exclusively from Africa 2. asserts that significant levels of gene flow (migration) between various geographically dispersed premodern populations were extremely likely throughout the Pleistocene.

Flo

3 ft tall- as short as the smallest australopithecus- and her brain was no larder than that of aa chimpanzee. Predecessors were perhaps Homo erects populations. Thickness of cranial bone and dentition was like homo erectus (Dmansi) but also have very derived traits. Natural selection favored small body size, possible adaptation to reduced resources. Other argue that it could have been a pathological disorder (Dwarfism). Any researchers have placed them in a separate species, homo floresiensis.

Ancestry assessment

3 major groups: European Asian African

How long did Neandertals survive before Homo Sapiens arrived in Europe?

300,000 years

How many races are there according to Johann Blumenbach?

5- white, yellow, red, black, and brown.

What percentage of genes are the same between two random people?

85%

Most of the burden of AIDS is borne by developing countries, where ____ percent of all HIV infected people live.

95

Cro-Magnon

A rock-shelter in southern France. At this site, the remains of eight individuals were disocovered in 1868. The Cro-Magnon materials are associated with an Aurignacian tool assemblage, and upper Paleolitic industry. These individuals represent the earliest of France's anatomically modern humans. The "Old Man" (crown-magnon 1) became the original model for what was once termed the coo-magnon race of Europe.

"Little people"

AN extremely small-bodied, small-brained hominid had been discovered in Liang But Cave on the island of Flores. "Little Lady of Flores" or simply Flo, the remains consists of an incomplete skeleton of an adult females as well as additional pieces from approximately 13 other individuals, which the press has collectively nicknamed "hobbits".

Facial projection

African ancestry: pronounced prognathism. Asian: slight prognathism Euro: none

Osteology

the analysis of skeletal remains

What is seen as the most significant event in human history?

the domestication of plants and animals.

Breast feeding

the fact that infants born today can survive and grow without breast milk is further evidence of our species flexibility and how cultural mechanisms have enabled us to transcend some of the biological limited placed out ancestors and other mammalian species.

Sickle-cell anemia

the increase in the frequency of the sickle cell allele is a biological adaptation to an environmental change. Those with it have increase resistance to malaria and presumably higher reproductive success, but prior to modern medical treatment, some of the their offspring died from sickle-cell anemia. there is a counterbalance between selective forces with an advantage for carriers only in malarial environments.

what is global warming the result of?

the interactions of thousands of factors, and the consequences of these interactions arent possible to predict with complete accuracy. The strong consensus is that we can expect dramatic fluctuations in weather patterns along with alterations in precipitation levels.

Eugenics

the philosophy of race improvement through the forced sterilization of members of some groups and increased reproduction among others; and overly simplified, often racist view that is now discredited.

We now know Neandertals and early modern humans interbred, what impact has this had on our genetics?

Many interbreeding and interactions between modern humans and Neandertals. Neandertals were genetically bred out. What is the impact of Neandertal DNA on modern humans today? HLA gene in the immune system

Adaptive to Maladaptive Characteristics

Many of our biological and behavioral characteristics evolved because in the past they contributed to adaptation, but today these same characteristics may be maladaptive. An example is our ability to store fat. this capability was na advantage in the past, when food availability often alternated between abundance and scarcity. Out "feast or famine" biology s not incompatible with the constant feast many of us indulge in today.

The regional continuity model

Multiregional evolution; Milford Wolpoff (UMich) suggests that local populations- not all, of course,- in Europe, Asia, and Africa continued their indigenous evolutionary development from premodern Middle Pleistocene forms to anatomically modern humans. Under this model, there are no taxonomic distinctions between modern and premodern hominins. That is, all hominins following H. erectus are classified as homo sapiens.

Areas closer to the equator, where the suns rays are most direct and thus exposure to UV light is most intense, natural selection has what?

Natural selection has favored deeply pigmented skin

Partial Replacement Model

New findings confirmed that the degree of interbreeding was modest, ranging from 1 to 4 percent in modern populations outside Africa, while also revealing that contemporary Africans have no trace of Neandertal genes, suggesting that interbreeding occurred after modern humans migrated out of Africa. Neandertals never lived anywhere in Africa. Originated in African then dispersed to other areas where interbreeding and replacement occurred. Accounts for interbreeding with premodern populations of Eurasia.

What skeletal elements were used to obtain the Neandertal DNA?

Nucleus of 30,000 year old cell from a leg bone fragment of three female neandertals

Along with Neandertal skeletons buried in the fetal position, what else was discovered in the "grave" ? What could the artifact indicate about Neandertals?

Panther paws; a trophy or ritual (funeral offering) with burying the dead indicating they are more complex and advanced than we thought.

Sexing the pelvis

Pelvis inlet and outlet sacrum (curve) preauricular sulcus greater sciatic notch sub public angle ischio public ramus

Characteristics of Modern Homo Sapiens

Physical Traits: 1. reduced body size 2. more defined chin 3. High forehead 4. Reduced brow ridge 5. More rounded skull shape Cultural Traits: 1. Magdalenian tool technology 2. Art *culture shows they were evolving into more abstract cognitive thought, more than just utilitarian and basic needs (ex. symbolism and art just for the sake of art)

Acclimatization

Physiological responses to changes in the environment that occur during an individual's lifetime. Such responses may be temporary or permanent, depending on the duration of the environmental change and when in the individual's life it occurs. The capacity for acclimatization may typify an entire population or species, and because it's under genetic influence, it's subject to evolutionary factors such as natural selection and genetic drift.

Polytypic

Referring to species composed of populations that differ in the expression of one of more traits

What are the two models used to understanding modern human origins?

Regional continuity model and replacement models

What did the geneticists discover when they compared the DNA of 5 modern humans from different ethnic groups to the Neandertal DNA?

Some variation of foxP2 gene as humans; interbreeding very possible; Neandertals were genetically closer to Europeans and Asians than Africans

Public symphyseal face

The face of the public symphysis in young individuals is characterized by a billowing surface (with ridges and furrows) such as that seen on the surface of epiphysis. Are about 18 and onward, because this technique is derived form data collected from a large sample of people of known age at death, it is currently the most accurate method available for estimating age in adult human skeletal remains.

Biological determinism

The fact that non-europeans weren't Christian suggests that they were "uncivilized" and implied an even more basic inferiority of character and intellect. This holds that theres an association between physical characteristics and such attributes as intelligence, morals, values, abilities, and even social and economic status.

Flaws with the multi-regional continuity model?

They no longer tell us much useful information about the origins of modern humans; nor do they seem to provide much information regarding the dispersal of modern homo sapiens. Arguments against this model claim that people are physically and geographically diversified (variations between them)

Added complexity in the life history cycle for humans that isn't in mammals

They occur in cultural context that define and characterize them. Puberty, for example has very different meanings in differnet cultures, as does menopause.

Other skeletal changes

after the age of 20, the techniques used are based on the occurrence of progressive, regular changes in the face of the pubic symphysis (the most common technique), in the sternal ends of the ribs, and in the auricular surface of the ilium (where the ilium articulates with the sacrum). there indications are closure of the cranial sutures, and cellular changes that are determined by microscopic examination of cross sections of long bones.

Molecular based sexing

becoming more common

Are we still evolving?

biology examples: allergies, appendixes, gene flow

Zygoma

cheekbone-doe sit project outward or recede back?

Humans have an unusually long period of ____________ during which time much learning takes place

childhood

After you fully mature

degeneration begins and things like arthritis, osteoporosis,a dn wear of dental enable can help determine age. Disease, trauma, and the biological make up of individuals also give clues.

Pelvic anatomy constraints

dual influences of bipedal locomotion and relatively large brained newborns

negative effect

even more mismatch, destroying environment, overpopulation, spreading disease

REMEMBER:

even within local populations there is a great deal of genotypic and phenotypic variation between individuals

Gene flow and natural selection (RCM)

gene flow occurred between various geographically dispersed premodern populations preventing different species from evolving independently/natural selection and interbreeding would have prevented speciation between them.

Body weight is ___________ in populations living father form the equator

greater

Socioeconomic status has a _________ effect today than it did in the past

greater

Bone growth

in children and adolescents bone continue to grow until the epiphyses fuse to the diaphysis. This occurs within different age ranges in different individuals, the age can be estimated by determining which epiphyses have fused and which have not.

Sexual dimorphism

increasing manifested in the skeleton, making sex determination feasible in adult remains

What is the single most important reason our species is so great?

increasing population size. more and more land is converted to crops, pasture, and construction, providing more opportunities for still more humans and fewer 9or no) habitats for most other species.

The creation of pitch could be considered the first ___________ process?

industrial

Lactose intolerance

involves a persons ability to digest milk, is another example of biocultural evolution. The continued production of lactase (in some Africans and Europeans) is called lactase persistence Modern Europeans in the mIddle east kept cows and that is why strong selection pressures apparently factored lactose tolerance (cows and humans benefited). Most populations in Africa are lactose intolerant, but in some point in the past, certain groups became cattle herders and its decreasing. The mutations occurred independently in Africa and Europe

Developmental acclimatization

irreversible and results from exposure to an environmental challenge during growth and development. EX. high altitude living

Series of trade off among various life history traits

length of gestation, age at weaning, time spent in growth to adulthood, adult body size, and length of life span

Chances of being exposed have a _____________ affect but the chances of dying from them have a __________ impact than in the past.

lifestyle, biological

There is a significant selective advantage to ____________ in higher altitudes

lighter skin

Stature calculation

measurement of long bones (arms and legs) otseometric board

Knapping

modifying rock; finest degree of doing so by flaking techniques

Cranial dimensions

most especially relating to facial proportions, they are not as consistent as the pelvis. In males, the skeleton is larger than in females, the ones are denser, and areas of muscle attachment are frequently more robust.

H-char

mostly "modern" hand, possible indication of brain organization, small teeth

Natural selection

operates within specific environmental settings, and for humans and many of our hominid ancestors, this means an environment dominated by culture.

Examples of Acclimatization

tanning, changing elevation (hemoglobin)

Positive-effect

technology and vaccines, communications and travel

Complete Replacement model

Proposed by Stringer and Andrews that anatomically modern populations arose in Africa within the last 200,000 years and then migrated from Africa, completely replacing populations in Europe and Asia. This model doesn't account for a transition from premodern forms of modern Homo sapiens anywhere in the world except of Africa. This theory is older than the partial replacement model. All modern humans first evolved in Africa then dispersed and replaced existing hominins in other regions. Taxonomically, all of the premodern populations outside of Africa would, in this view, be classified as belonging to different species of Homo.

Nutrients needed for growth:

Protiens Charbs Lipids(fats) vitmains minerals Preagricultural diet vs pst agricultural diet

Replacement Model

Replacement models all emphasis that modern humans first evolved in Africa only later dispersed to other parts of the world, where they replaced those hominins already living in these other regions.

What else was on the bone that caused challenges in extracting the Neandertal DNA?

Rogue DNA from bacteria

Life history theory

How has natural selection operated on the life cycle from conception to death in humans and mammals. It allows us to predict the timing of reproduction under favorable circumstances. It is the action of natural selection that shapes life history traits, determining which ones will succeed or fail in a given environment.

What is biocultural evolution?

Human biology and behavior have been shaped by both biological and cultural factors.

Why do humans have longer periods of infancy and childhood compared with other primates?

Humans have longer stages of infancy and childhood because of biological development of areas like the brain and the pelvis (bipedalism) Cultural development- we need a long time for this

Slash and burn agriculture

Increase in the frequency of the sickle cell allele

Which evolved first? Visual "racial" traits or intelligence, speech, and other physical capabilities?

Intelligence, speech and other physical capabilities evolved first, visual "racial" traits are very recent

Polymorphism

Loci with more than one allele. Polymorphisms can be expressed int he phenotype as the result of gene action (as in ABO), or they can exist solely at the DNA level within non-coding regions; Traits that differ in expression between populations and individuals, they're the main focus of human variation studies.

Where and how were Neanderthals last seen my modern humans?

Perhaps about 80,000 ya, modern peoples in the Middle East encountered being shot walked on two legs, hunted large animals, made fire, lived in caves, and fashioned complex tools. These beings were the Neandertals.

How were Neandertals first perceived by the general population?

Primitive and not intelligent; hairy, brute, and less advanced

Populations found where have the greatest amount of pigmentation in their skin?

Tropics

What age can osteologists usually start determining the sex of the skeleton of someone who died?

after 13-15 years old

Austrolopithecus sediba

anatomical combination of homo and australopithic characterisitics

Incisor shape

back of teeth flat vs. shoveled Euro: non shoveled asian: shoveled african: non shoveled

Nasal sill

right at base of nose, euro: sharp African: guttered

A-char

small brain, long arms, curved fingers, primitive traits in feet (A. Africans)

What is the biggest determinant between female and male skeletons

the pelvis, due to eh requirements of childbirth in females

Burins

working wood, bone and antler; borders for drilling holes in skins, bones, and shells' and knives with serrated or notes edges for scraping wooden shots into a variety of tools

Are we biologically and culturally mismatched?

yes, the biological factors include genetic characteristics, those we cannot control. and the cultural factors include diet, nutrition, cultural preference, cultural opportunity, and things like socioeconomic status.

Magdalenian tool technology

Atlatl: spear thrower; extended hunters arma nd enhanced the force and distance of the spear throw, where hunting changed from Neandertals to Homo Sapiens Punch blade technique Pressure

Why is the creation of "pitch" (the glue like substance used for attaching stone tools to wooden spears) used as evidence towards describing Neandertal cognitive abilities?

Because it is a man made item made from birch trees, not just basic sap. They mastered a complex thermal process suggesting they were more advanced than previously thought. They were the first inventors of the industrial process.

What was the old "traditional" theory for why the Neandertals vanished and modern humans survived?

Brain over brawn; less advanced and not as intelligent compared to modern humans

When did the first modern Homo sapiens appear? Where?

Close to 200,000 ya they appeared in Africa. Within 150,000 ya their descendants had spread across most of the Old World, even expanding as far as Australia.

Determining Age

Estimating age in individuals who were younger than 20 when they died based primarily on the presence of deciduous (baby) and permanent teeth, the appearance of ossification centers of bones, and the fusion of the ends of long bones to bone shafts. Dental eruption and bone growth. Sub adults (young adults), birth to 18-19, 3 ways, tooth formation, tooth eruption, epiphyseal fusion; adults, 3 ways: pubic symphysis, rib phase, cranial suture closure (p.s. mountainous rigid at first, smooth after time.

DId humans have an inordinate impact on the earth and all other forms of life?

Yes

Are our modern lives disconnected form our evolved biology?

Yes, with occasional harmful consequences. There are some who argue that if we could only return to the ways of living of our ancestors, we would all become healthier.

Why are the biggest challenges for our species today?

the vastly altered environments of our own making; we have caused a widespread devastation of ecosystems al over the world, but we are still dependent on the ecosystems of which we remain a part.

Homo naledi

tiny brained species with shoulders and torso like ape but has anatomically human like features. Found recently in Rising star cave

What was the first source to have its extinction?

trees

Dental eruption

up to 15 years old it helps, this is when the third molar (the wisdom tooth) erupts, but this is highly variable

What is forensic anthropology

uses methods of physical anthropology like human variation, human evolution, and human osteology to assist in medical and legal investigations.

The vitamin D theory

vitamin D is produced int he body partly as a result of the interaction between ultraviolet radiation and a substance similar to cholesterol. It is necessary for normal bone growth and mineralization, and some exposure to UV is essential. Rickets happens when not enough Vitamin D during bone growth. This favors lighter colored skin with lower levels of UC light and the increased use of clothing. Selective pressures would have shifted to favor lighter skin. there is substantial evidence, both historically and in contemporary populations to support this theory. Conclusion: the requirement for vitamin D synthesis in northern latitudes was as important to natural selection as then need for protection fro UV radiation in the tropics.

Nasal Bridge

where glasses sit, right inbetween size Euro: prominent African: small