Biology

101
Walking with Caveman Video Questions

Name: Kobina Wilson

Directions: Answer the following questions as you watch the video.

1. How did the tree swinging apes adapt to less trees and a drier climate?
They were forced to spend more time on the ground due to less trees and developed
bipedalism as a trait to be more efficient on the ground.
2. Why was it more efficient to walk upright instead of all fours?
Better able to stand taller and see further.
Walking upright saves more energy during sex
3. What happened when the ice did not melt properly in the summers?
The polar ice caps grew and locked up huge amounts of the planets water and as a result,
the Earth began to dry out.
4. What effect did this have on the climate in Africa?
Vast areas of rain land and woodland died off leaving scattered trees. This led to new
animals and plants
5. How was Australopithecus boisei more adapted to this new climate?
They were able to eat most of the tough vegetation that surrounded them due to powerful
cheek muscles, enormous jaws, and back teeth 4x the size of those of humans
6. What were the 2 secret weapons of Homo habilis?
Their ability to eat meat has given them proteins that have developed their brains.
First creatures on Earth to be able to make stone tools

7. Homo ergaster had 3 adaptations that allowed them to hunt out in the hot African sun all day
long when most animals had to hide in the shade during the day and hunt at night. What are
they and how did each one help them?
Long and modern looking noses to moisten the air as they breathe
Hairless bodies to let heat escape
And millions of tiny glands in their skin allows them to sweat rather than pant.
8. Most animals need to pant to release excess heat. What do we do instead of pant? How has
that helped us communicate?
We sweat through tiny pores on our skin.
9. How did fire impact the life of Homo erectus?
Allowed them to rest during nightfall and it also changed the way that they think

10.Homo neaderthalensis lived in frozen Europe during the ice age. How did they deal with the
cold temperatures?
They had short stature and short limbs to keep heat inside their bodies.
They also had broad noses to cool them down

11.What did Homo heidelbergensis do that lead the way to our species Homo sapiens?
They developed imagination