human origins

A detailed Summary of human origins

For years, the evolution of human beings has been researched and studied. In today's society, there are many different interpretations on creation and how humans came to be what they are today. Through much scientific evidence and studies, there is now physical proof that human beings may have evolved from ape-like creatures. Even with this, there are still disputes in the paleoanthropological field of whether or not this is true. Still, many choose to believe their religious creation stories where a God created humans. Whether it is Johanson's idea on human evolution or Leakey's or even the Roman Catholic's creation story, all are an individual own interpretation and neither wrong nor right.

A paleanthropologist by the name of Donald Johanson is one of the many who have a very different view on the origin of humans. In 1974, he discovered forty percent of an individual dating back to 3.5 million years ago. The individual, Australopithecus afarensis or "Lucy" is believed to be the common ancestor of the true Homo and Australopithecus lines. A year later, in 1975, Johanson found the remains of thirteen individuals who may have possibly died in a flood. They were named the "First Family" and were dated to be betw

However, Richard Leakey did not seem to think so. In 1961, Jonathan Leakey, Richard Leakey's brother had uncovered a fragmented skull that was from the line of Homo habilis and dated at 1.75 million years ago. In 1972, Leakey retrieved the skull of another Homo habilis, this time with a brain larger than any other australopithecine and about 1.9 million years old. Later, the Leakey's had found fossil jaws and footprints dating back to the same time as Lucy and the First Family. Unlike Johanson who believes the discoveries are Australopithecus afarensis, he thinks they are more of the Homo type. Leakey reckons that the First Family is not Australopithecus afarensis but that they are two different species altogether. He came upon this conclusion because of the very large difference in size between the males and females. The males who are the large fossils and the footprints are of the Homo line. The smaller fossils are of Australopithecus afarensis. He presumes that about 3 and 2 million years ago, global cooling formed the arctic icecap. This brought a drier climate and caused the Homo to adjust to changes in climate and habitat. They learned to use stone tools, which caused the expansion of the brain. More meat intake was required because of the larger brain. Homo erectus began to spread out and from them evolved Homo sapiens. Australopithecines may have had about four species that as time went by they became extinct. In conclusion, Richard Leakey's idea is very different to that of Johanson, leaving us to decide for ourselves

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Approximate Word count = 1036
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History