The Story of Human Evolution Part 1 From

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 1. Measure differences Gather DNA evidence, between testhumans with and apes. experiments 2. Examine fossils from several million years ago. 2. should 1. There Humans and be apes fossils with human should share a high Prediction and ape-likeof features percentage DNA

Old-World monkeys Gibbon Orangutan Gorilla Chimpanzee Human

0 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 0 Monkey Chimp Human 10 20 30 Time (million yrs ago) Allan Wilson 1934 - 1991

10 20 30 Human – monkey difference Time (million yrs ago) 0 10 20 30 Albumin protein Sequence difference Chimp Human Monkey Human – chimp difference Chimp Human Sequence difference 0 Monkey

Our earliest ancestors lived in Africa

Lucy is one of the most important hominid fossils ever discovered Hadar, Ethiopia – site of Lucy’s 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? s cu e ith p lo Au a str m o H o s is n o ens e m al pi o a s H rth o de om n a H e s is l i ab h Ho m o tu c re e n

Modern humans Europe Africa Homo erectus Africa Asia

Modern humans Europe Africa Homo erectus Africa Asia

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 12, 000 100, 000 70, 000 3000 200, 000 1500 50, 000 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. miller 10@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.