The Story of Human Evolution

Part 1: From ape-like ancestors to modern humans

Part 2: What makes us human? Evolution and adaptation in modern humans

How do scientists study human evolution?

Humans evolved from THEORY ape-like creatures

Humans and apes share many Observation biological features

Humans and apes HYPOTHESIS have a common ancestor

2. should 1.There Humans and be apes fossils with human should share a high Prediction and ape-likeof features percentage DNA

1. Measure Gather DNA evidence, differences between test with humans and apes. experiments 2. Examine fossils from several million years ago.

Old-World monkeys Gibbon

Orangutan

Gorilla

Chimpanzee

Human

Monkey

Chimp

Human

10

20

30 Time
(million yrs ago)

Allan Wilson 1934 - 1991

DNA and proteins can be used to study genetic similarities between species

Molecular differences show that humans diverged from chimpanzees 5-6 million years ago
Monkey Chimp Human

10

20

30 Time
(million yrs ago)

Allan Wilson 1934 - 1991

10 20 30 Time
(million yrs ago)

0 10 20 30

Monkey

Chimp Human
Sequence difference

Sequence difference

Monkey

Chimp Human

Albumin protein

Human monkey difference Human chimp difference

Our earliest ancestors lived in Africa

Lucy is one of the most important hominid fossils ever discovered

Hadar, Ethiopia site of Lucys discovery

Australopithecus - an ape who walked on two legs

Footprints left by Australopithecus confirm early upright walking

The earliest stone tools are from 2.3-2.5 million years ago

Homo habilis was the first to use stone tools

Early humans were using fire and sophisticated tools 1.8 million years ago.

Homo erectus was the first to migrate out of Africa

When and where did modern humans evolve?

Modern humans Europe Africa Asia

Homo erectus

Africa

Modern humans Europe Africa Asia

Homo erectus

Africa

Mitochondria

Nucleus

Mitochondria: DNA comes from mother

Nucleus: DNA comes from both parents

Offspring cell

Mitochondrial DNA traces the female line

We are all descended from a small population living in Africa 150,000 to 200,000 years ago

Modern humans colonize the globe

4500 15,000 25,000 40,000

100,000 70,000

12,000

200,000 1500 50,000

3000

Homo sapiens Neanderthals Early hominids

800

 Produced by Hilary Miller in association with the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution
Thanks to Azra Moeed, Caroline Thomas, and Glenda Lewis for assistance with preparing this presentation

hilary.miller10@gmail.com

http://www.allanwilsoncentre.ac.nz

Image credits
Slides 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7: TRANZ INTERNATIONAL Image Library Ltd. Slide 8: Wikimedia Commons Slide 11: Science Photo Library Slide 12: Univ. of California Museum of Paleontology (http://evolution.berkeley.edu) Slide 13, 14, 15: TRANZ INTERNATIONAL Image Library Ltd. Slide 16: Science Photo Library Slide 17: TRANZ INTERNATIONAL Image Library Ltd. Slide 18, 19, 20, 21: Science Photo Library Slide 24: Wikimedia Commons Slide 25: Univ. of California Museum of Paleontology (http://evolution.berkeley.edu) Slide 27: Science Photo Library Slide 28: Wikimedia Commons (edited) Slides 29, 30: TRANZ INTERNATIONAL Image Library Ltd.