What were the names of proto-humans? What important information can you find about each ofthem using other sources? (Write about a paragraph on each)
Question
What were the names of proto-humans? What important information can you find about each ofthem using other sources? (Write about a paragraph on each)
Solution
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Australopithecus: Australopithecus is one of the earliest known groups of proto-humans, existing between about 4 and 2 million years ago. They were bipedal and had small brains, similar in size to modern apes. However, they had more human-like teeth, which suggests they had a diet that included a significant amount of plant material. Australopithecus is significant because it includes the famous "Lucy" specimen, which is one of the most complete early hominid skeletons ever found.
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Homo habilis: Homo habilis, or "handy man," lived between 2.1 and 1.5 million years ago. They were named for their association with stone tools, which were more advanced than any found with Australopithecus. Homo habilis had larger brains than Australopithecus, which suggests they were capable of more complex behavior. They are thought to be the first of the Homo genus, which includes modern humans.
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Homo erectus: Homo erectus lived between 1.9 million and 140,000 years ago. They were the first hominids to leave Africa, and fossils have been found in areas as far away as Java and China. Homo erectus had even larger brains than Homo habilis, and they were the first hominids to control fire, live in hunter-gatherer societies, and possibly even have a form of language.
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Neanderthals: Neanderthals are the closest extinct relatives to modern humans, living between about 400,000 and 40,000 years ago. They had large brains and were capable of complex behavior, including the creation of tools, art, and possibly even music. Neanderthals lived alongside early modern humans for thousands of years and there is evidence of interbreeding between the two groups.
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