Humans originating in Africa
- Thread starter John99
- Start date
Ok.
Modern human beings descended from earlier hominids, and share a common ancestor with chimpanzees, gorillas and bonobos, which are all closely related species. Note that all these species are indigenous to Africa.
Human beings diverged from the great apes a few million years ago (from memory), and modern humans evolved approximately 100,000 years ago.
There is evidence of early migrations of human beings from north Africa into western Europe and the middle east. From there, humans spread eastwards, populating Asia, and eventually crossed land bridges to get to North America, from where they spread south into South America. From Asia, they also crossed into Australia (about 40,000 years ago).
Modern human beings descended from earlier hominids, and share a common ancestor with chimpanzees, gorillas and bonobos, which are all closely related species. Note that all these species are indigenous to Africa.
Human beings diverged from the great apes a few million years ago (from memory), and modern humans evolved approximately 100,000 years ago.
There is evidence of early migrations of human beings from north Africa into western Europe and the middle east. From there, humans spread eastwards, populating Asia, and eventually crossed land bridges to get to North America, from where they spread south into South America. From Asia, they also crossed into Australia (about 40,000 years ago).
There are missing pieces of the model explaining how they spread from west Asia to the far east (specifically the absence of a certain type of tool which was prevalent at the time), however the theory Concerning their spread from Africa to Europe and west Asia is solid.
...hence the alternate theory to the single-region model (aka the "Out of Africa" model), the "Multi-regional" theory.
I would like to know more what real problems there are with spread into east Asia. For example, why could not the northern route be taken to avoid high mountains etc. Eskimos live much farther north today.
Also if the Chinese came from a different branch of hominoids, I would think that very evident with genetic testing.
Consequently I accept the "out of Africa" POV. I have a bias towards this as I have offered a unique reason why one small group of hominoids killed off all the many others, Neanderthals (who were stronger and had larger brains) included.
See:
http://www.sciforums.com/showpost.php?p=1294496&postcount=52
This is long post. If only interested in this "out of africa" point here it is:
"...Try ducking a rock thrown towards your head if your only visual experience of it is a display projected into the eyes (electronic goggles) that delay the image by 0.1 seconds! A real-time simulation of the environment can be achieved in a neural simulation by slightly projecting ahead the sensory information to compensate for neural processing delays.
A real-time simulation would have great survival value. Perhaps the Neanderthals still experienced slightly delayed “emerging transforms” of retinal data when our smaller brained and weaker ancestors perfected a real-time simulation of their environment. (Ecological pressure from the larger and stronger Neanderthals would have accelerated the rate of evolution in our ancestors.) Likewise, the “Out of Africa” mystery, (Why one branch of hominoids, expanded and dominated all others beginning approximately 50,000 years ago.), which is often assumed to be related to the acquisition of “autonomous language” (no gestures required - hands free and education facilitated), might better be explained by the development of the real-time simulation of the environment. ..."
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What is the distance from Africa to China?
That is the start of my questions, i have more but i am too tired (weekend) to put the effort required into this. Everyone should know where this is going anyway.
So you are saying they walked to Asia.
Is this normal behavior?
For what purpose?
How many variants of the human species are there?
Did groups actively seek out similarities and then go explore?
Would this be known as coordinated dispersal?
At what point did Asians develop their features?
How many major variations of the human species are there? Classify them now.
That is the start of my questions, i have more but i am too tired (weekend) to put the effort required into this. Everyone should know where this is going anyway.
So you are saying they walked to Asia.
Is this normal behavior?
For what purpose?
How many variants of the human species are there?
Did groups actively seek out similarities and then go explore?
Would this be known as coordinated dispersal?
At what point did Asians develop their features?
How many major variations of the human species are there? Classify them now.
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John99:
Yes, they walked - over many generations. If you work out the average distance covered in the expansion per year, you'll find it only amounts to perhaps a few tens of kilometres.
Is it normal behaviour for humans to explore new land? You tell me. Why would they want to expand to unused land? Think about it.
About 6 billion, at last count.
Similarities in what?
I have no idea. What's "coordinated dispersal"?
No single point. Geographic separation gradually led to separate evolution of some gene pools, although it must be said that there was always some mixing.
Are you talking about races? I'm sure you can do that job yourself.
Yes, they walked - over many generations. If you work out the average distance covered in the expansion per year, you'll find it only amounts to perhaps a few tens of kilometres.
Is it normal behaviour for humans to explore new land? You tell me. Why would they want to expand to unused land? Think about it.
About 6 billion, at last count.
Similarities in what?
I have no idea. What's "coordinated dispersal"?
No single point. Geographic separation gradually led to separate evolution of some gene pools, although it must be said that there was always some mixing.
Are you talking about races? I'm sure you can do that job yourself.
Well, you can do a simple DNA comparison to see how closely the DNA of humans is related to various apes, monkeys, rabbits, whales, worms or anything else.
Our closest non-extinct relative is the chimpanzee.
Of course, if you go back far enough, we share a common ancestor with Orang Utans as well.
Our closest non-extinct relative is the chimpanzee.
Of course, if you go back far enough, we share a common ancestor with Orang Utans as well.
Carcano
Valued Senior Member
I just did some quick reading on the two species of Homo Erectus found in Asia - Java Man and Peking Man.
Apparently genetic analysis of these bones show that they are not related to modern asian popluations.
However, isnt it interesting that two species both catagorized as Homo Erectus could evolve independantly and separately in the world - one in Africa and one in Asia.
Or is the theory that the Asian species of Erectus immigrated to Asia from Africa.
Is there any genetic link between Asian species of Erectus and Asian great apes like Orangutans?
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Carcano
Valued Senior Member
Is it correct that ALL species of great apes originated out of Africa?
Carcano:
What are they related to?
Is there any evidence of that? And is the classification correct, or does it need to be revised?
I don't know the answers to these questions.
Presumably, it was out-competed by descendant species.
Not necessarily. Humans have tended to be more mobile than other hominids.
What are they related to?
Is there any evidence of that? And is the classification correct, or does it need to be revised?
I don't know the answers to these questions.
Presumably, it was out-competed by descendant species.
Not necessarily. Humans have tended to be more mobile than other hominids.
Carcano
Valued Senior Member
1. Dont know.
2. Java Man and Peking Man are both classified as Erectus yes.
3. How does this happen, seeing as homo sapiens have co-existed with other primates in the jungles of Africa without forceing them into extinction.
Carcano
Valued Senior Member
We would have to compare the two lifestyles...which would only be speculative of course.
Sapiens appear to have been hunters of big game (like deer), used fire, and built simple dwellings.
A good example is the stone age cultures of some of the native american tribes. There may have been some primitive attempts at agriculture as well.
Erectus seem to have been primarily foragers of fruit, wild plants, insects, and small game.
If this is the case, they would fit into a different niche, using different resources and habitats.
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Yes, it's normal behavior. It's only in the past few thousand years that any humans anywhere have confined themselves to little towns. Any hunting and gathering people will go where the good hunting and gathering are - and places with lots of game and no experience of human hunters or gatherers would make good destinations.john said:
The Clovis people of North America apparently migrated with the buffalo - hundreds of miles every year, on foot. The northern reds had winter and summer camps long journeys apart. The people who got to Australia 40 thousand years ago had boats. The people who got to Hawaii had serious boats, and ocean navigation skills. Normal people travel - it's fun.
I like the 6 billion answer, but the other answer is none. If we were dogs, we'd all be the same breed (before the Kennel Club got hold of the definition, anyway).John99 said:
I don't think I could accept any theories with regards to this because there are so many gaps that needs to be filled up. There are a lot of archaeological findings about gigantic skulls, DNA analysis of Neanderthal having a different branch of MtDNA, weird looking skulls, and etc.
And many such findings are post hoc ergo propter hoc. Just because it looks similar to a human skull, that doesn't mean it's human. It might belong to a different species very different from humans.
And many such findings are post hoc ergo propter hoc. Just because it looks similar to a human skull, that doesn't mean it's human. It might belong to a different species very different from humans.