Human Dispersal Articles

Human Dispersal Articles

Evolution of Human Skin Color

Evolution of human skin color

Skin Deep Article


Nina Jablonski-Ted Talk

Cooking and Human Evolution

1. Listen to podcast
2.  Read the article The Mind on Fire
3. Answer the following questions.
1. What 2 advances have humans carried with them all over the world?
2. How do humans burn most of their calorie budget?
3. How much of that budget is devoted to the brain?
4. If you are thinking really hard about the previous question how much greater has your calorie consumption become?
5. What is Wrangham's hypothesis?
6. How do raw food diets support his hypothesis?
7. Why should they be avoided by children?
8. Where is the majority of raw food digested and absorbed?
9. Where is the majority of cooked food absorbed?why?
10. What does cooking do to things like plant material and meat?
11. How did our body respond to cooking over time?
12. What is the name of Leslie Aiello and Peter Wheeler hypothesis?
13. How does their hypothesis differ from Wrangham's?
14. Why do human's prefer cooked foods? 
15. What compounds are associated with this?
16. What are these compounds?
17. According to Wrangham's hypothesis which of our ancestors mastered fire and cooking?
18. What is considered a major challenge to Wrangham's theory?
19. What are the benefits of fire?

Neanderthal DNA

Read article above

Based on the article answer (using data) the following questions.

1. How old are neanderthal?

• what did their migration pattern look like? (where and when did they arrive, travel, stay)

2. Did Neanderthal admix with modern human?

• Where and when did this happen?
• What evidence supports your statement?

Using the smithsonian website what other archeological evidence supports your claims

Email me your response

Neanderthal in the media

1. Create a list of terms that you associate with the human relative Neanderthal.
2. Do a google image search and create a graphic that represents how you believe the public perceives Neanderthal
3. For each of the stereotypes presented with either the list you have created or from the images you have chosen to use attempt to find evidence that would refute or rewrite our understanding (misunderstanding?) of Neanderthal.

You are to work in small groups (no more then 4) and turn in your product at the end of the period.

24 hour news cycle assignment

Create a popular media artifact that "exposes" the life of one of the early hominins.

This work can be done in the following groupings

solo
Groups of 2 or 3

For each person in the group a unique artifact must be created

The following "rock stars" of the early hominins are the subject of your "investigative reporting"

• Sahelanthropus tchadensis
• Ardipithecus ramidus
• Orrorin tugenensis
• Austrolopithicus anamensis
• Austrolopithicus afarensis
• Kenyanthropus platyops
• Australopithicus garhi
• Paranthropus aethiopicus
• Paranthropus boisei
• Australopithicus africanus
• Paranthropus robustus
• Homo habilis

Information that needs to be imbedded into the project includes all relevant, physical, geological, evolutionary, taxonomic, biological,ecological, anthropological evidence that explains the importance of your specific example in understanding early hominins role in our own evolutionary history.

Make sure you draw connections to other hominins as well as a thorough explanation of the researchers that are credited with the find(s)