HUMAN EVOLUTION

WHAT IS EVOLUTION?
For many years the common belief was that the earth and all that is
present on it were spontaneously created by God.
However, according to the 'autogenesis theory of the origin of life’, life is
said to have originated from non-living organic matter.
Evolution is a slow and continuous process whereby complex forms of
life have emerged from simpler forms through millions of years.
THEORIES OF EVOLUTION
French biologist Jean Baptiste de Lamarck - Evolutionary theory and
proposed that the driving force behind this evolution was the inheritance
of acquired characters. Ex- evolution of giraffe.
Charles Darwin -Theory of Natural Selection or Darwinism.
According to this theory, organisms reproduce at a faster rate resulting in
a fierce competition for food and space. This creates a struggle for
existence in which every individual is fighting for survival. Now, within a
species there is considerable variation between individuals and some
individuals are better adapted to the environment than others. As a result,
these individuals will be more likely to survive than others. This is called
survival of the fittest. These individuals are most likely to reproduce and
pass on their good qualities to their offsprings. This process is called
natural selection. Darwin stated that nature selects the fittest and rejects
the weaker individuals.

Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired characters

Lamarck proposed his idea of evolution on the basis of his studies on the
patterns of fossils and matching the organisms to their environment.
Two principles :
1. Use and disuse: Parts of the body that are used extensively, become
larger and stronger while those that are not used became weak. Lamarck
suggested that the giraffe evolved from ground-feeding herbivores. But at
a later stage, the area fell short of its ground level vegetation, and thus the
giraffe took to feeding from trees. Constant stretching of its neck and
fore-limbs over many generations resulted in these structures becoming
longer and stronger so as to reach higher leaves.
2. Inheritance of acquired characters: It stated that an organism could
pass its modifications to its offsprings.

Vestigial organs
Vestigial organs are those organs that have stopped to be of any use.
They are the remnants of features that served important functions in the
organism's ancestors.
Wisdom teeth : Wisdom teeth are the last molars on each side of both the
jaws. Now they are less used for chewing our food.
Vermiform appendix: Vermiform appendix projects from
the blind end of the caecum .In herbivorous mammals
(like sheep) is quite helpful in digesting cellulose.

PINNA: Pinna is the projecting lobe-like part of the external ear.

Darwin's theory of natural selection

Darwin’s Famous book "The Origin of Species" proposed the idea of
natural selection. These facts are :
i) Overproduction: Living beings have an innate desire to produce their
own progeny so that their race may continue. More individuals are
produced to increase the chances of their survival.
For Ex- Oysters lay 60 to 80 million eggs in a single spawn. If all the eggs
hatch and young ones survive, after a few generations their shells I would
be about the size of the earth.
ii) Struggle for existence : According to Darwin, individuals multiply in a
geometric ratio whereas space and food remain almost constant. This
leads to a struggle for existence among the organisms.
(iii) Variation : Because of the adaptations, it is difficult to find any of the
two individuals alike. Even the progeny of the same parents are not
exactly alike in all respects. Such differences are known as variations.
(iv) Survival of the fittest: Nature selects only those variations which are
suitable also termed as natural selection.
Origin of new species by gradual modification is called 'speciation'.

Main differences between the theories of Lamarck and Darwin.

Lamarck's theory
1. Known as the theory of inheritance of acquired
characters.
2. Believes in the use and disuse of an organ. Parts used or
changes acquired get transmitted to next generation.
3. New species evolve after a long period of time after many
generations by acquiring new characters.
Darwin's theory
1. Known as the theory of natural selection.
2. Believes that since variations exist in individuals, only the
fittest survive in the struggle for existence.
3. New species evolve due to accumulation of favourable
variations over a long period of time.
Darwin is regarded as the "Father of Evolution".
HUMAN EVOLUTION
Carl Linnaeus gave man the scientific name 'Homo sapiens'. In the animal
kingdom, Homo sapiens or modern man belongs to the order Primates
along with monkeys and apes.
The man is supposed to have originated from some ape-like ancestors
about 15 to 20 million years ago (i.e. the late Miocene period). They were
common ancestor for both apes and humans. Going from an ape-like form
to human form many major changes :
*Bipedal locomotion and the freeing of forelimbs from ground.
* Increase in the cranial capacity.
*Reduction in the size of canines due to omnivorous feeding habits.
*Loss of jaw power.
*Development of chin.
*Development of a forehead and
brow ridges.
*Increase in height.
*Erect posture by the development of
lumbar curve.
*Reduction in body hair.
Prehuman ancestor Ramapithecus walked erect on its - the hindfeet and is
known only by few teeth and some fragments of jaw.
Human ancestors
The different stages of human ancestors during evolution are termed as :
Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, Cro-
Magnon and Homo sapiens sapiens (modern man).

-
a- Australopithecus: They were small statured, averaging 3.5 - 4 feet tall. It
walked nearly straight. The vertebral
column had a distinct lumbar curve
with broad pelvis. The teeth were
strikingly man-like.
Australopithecus had a protruding
outwards face, and the chin was
absent. Eyebrow ridges projected over the eyes.

b-Homo habilis: It represented the first man-like

ancestor. They were 4-5.5 feet in height. They showed
bipedal locomotion, a large head and a less protruding
face. Their body was covered with hair.

c-Homo erectus: Their body size had increased to 5-5.5 feet. They were
the first ancestors to hunt animals and use fire. They walked fully upright
and their pelvis was more bowl-
shaped.

Homo erectus were called so

because they stood erect and the
proportion of arms and legs
resembled that of the modern man.
Their forehead was receding, jaws were still projecting and chin was
absent.
 d-Neanderthal man: They had a height of about 5.5 feet.
They showed characteristics like absolute bipedalism,
large head, broad-flat and sloping forehead, prominent
brow ridges, almost no chin and less hair on the body.

e-Cro-Magnon: They were much more advanced than the Neanderthals.

Cro-magnons were about 5.5-6 feet in
height. They had a large skull, broad
face, rounded forehead and a prominent
chin. Their body was less hairy, face was
perfectly straight and strong jawed.
They were swift footed and cave-dwelling
beings. Cro-Magnon made tools from finely chipped stones. They were
good hunters and knew how to use the hide of animals, but did not know
agriculture and domestication.

Homo sapiens sapiens (modern man)

Modern man evolved from Cro-Magnon man towards the end of the last
Glacial period. Man of today first appeared about 11000 years ago in the
region around the Caspian and Mediterranean sea. They possessed the
following main characteristics:
*Bipedal locomotion, with four reversed curves in the spine.
*Upright head, skull on top of the vertebral column, eyes facing in front,
neck more mobile and able to rotate the head for vision in different
directions, possessing binocular vision.
*Cranial capacity ranging from 1450 to 1600 cm³ and a much enlarged
cerebrum.
*Straight limbs with hindlimbs longer and forelimbs shorter. Fingers and
toes with flat nails.
*Forehead steep, reduced brow ridges.
*Well developed and prominent chin.
*Thoracic region flattened into a broad chest by flattening of sternum.
*Hair on limbs and body highly reduced.
*Entirely erect posture.
The modern man developed a logical and syllabic speech in order to
communicate. He used metals to prepare metallic tools, ornaments and
utensils by smelting ores. He cultivated plants and domesticated animals
of economic importance. Cities developed on river banks and as
agriculture advanced, humans vastly expanded their numbers. They
moved to permanent settlements and civilizations flourished.