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Posts Tagged ‘Homo erectus’

… Photosynthetic unicellular organisms. Oxidation. Mutation. Natural selection and evolution. Respiration. Cell differentiation. Sexual reproduction…

(Excerpted from “The History of the Universe in 200 Words or Less” by Eric Schulman
© copyright 1996-1997. by Eric Schulman)
Located on the web at: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3fs8i/hist/hist.html

Can Genealogy DNA Testing take us back to the beginning?

As of today scientists, historians and genealogists have fairly reached the conclusion that the following list of bi-peds are in the evolutionary chain of human like creatures that inhabited earth and that evolved in to modern day Homo Sapiens.

Here are some fairly acceptable date ranges for various Hominid species.
Homo Habilis – 2.2 to 1.6 million years BCE (Before Common Era 2010)
Homo Erectus – 2 to 0.4 million years BCE
Homo Sapiens – 400,000 to 200,000 BCE
Homo Sapiens Neandertalensis – 200,000 to 30,000 years BCE
Homo Sapiens Sapiens – 130,000 years BCE to present.
(Washington State University)
http://www.wsu.edu:8001/vwsu/gened/learn-modules/top_longfor/timeline/timeline.html

Apparently most of us, at least Americans, resemble some of our ancestors as depicted in this sculpture known as the Venus of Dolni Vŭstonice, one of the earliest known figurines depicting the human body. Dates back to about 29,000 to 25,000 BP. (Before Present 1950,) or say, about 27,000 BC.  (courtesy wikipedia)

Oldest figurine of human body

Humans are noted for their desire to understand and influence their environment, seeking to explain and manipulate natural phenomena through science, philosophy, mythology and religion. This natural curiosity has led to the development of advanced tools and skills, which are passed down culturally; humans are the only animal species known to build fires, cook their food, clothe themselves, and use numerous other technologies.
(From wikipedia/humans)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sapiens#Human_evolution

Seems I recall that we along with apes and monkeys have and use opposable thumbs that are able to  articulate which is a pretty handy feature for climbing trees and other tasks.  I know that I am a super being in the eyes of my three dogs.  They trust me for their next meal.  I make light appear magically when I enter a room, and best of all I can turn a door handle.

Ultimately researchers will not fully agree on exact times and dates but through the use of DNA testing we can get almost all the way back to the earliest known one of three, or one of seven, female ancestors.

That is quite an accomplishment for sure.

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A new DNA database is under development after scientists believe they may have found a new species of human.

High in the Altai mountains in southern Siberia in the Denisova cave, Russian archealogists unearthed the finger bone of a young child in 2008. The child was believed to be 5 to 7 years old at the time of death and the bone was tested for mitochondrial DNA.

Now scientists wonder if a new branch of the human family tree existed between Homo erectus that left Africa two million years ago and Neanderthals that left 500,000 years ago.

The Denisova child is believed to come from a form of human that left Africa about one million years ago. Researchers caution that the child may not belong to a new species of human, but from a small population formed by interbreeding among lineages. The remainder of the child’s DNA from the nuclear genome will be tested to determine this.

Radiocarbon dating first established the timeframe of the child’s death, estimating the boy or girl lived during the Pleistocene Ice Age between 48,000 and 30,000 years ago. Because the earth’s climate was much colder at that time, it’s likely the child wore some form of clothing.

Scientists were surprised to unearth more modern artifacts at the site too, such as jewelry. This kind of object was more indicative of modern humans in Europe so scientists will try to determine if the objects were related or they were left behind by other cultures through the ages.

This discovery debunks the linear theory of genealogy and will eventually affect family DNA surname projects. Until recently scientists believed there was a linear development of the human species, beginning with Homo erectus then Neanderthal and finally modern humans, Homo Sapien.

This new branch or potential new species will surely add to the growing DNA database growing daily around the world.

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