Our closest living ancestor is
bonobos (pygmy chimpanzees)
Ardipithecus ramidus - Eastern Africa - 4.4
Millions years ago - Bipedial - Long arms - Small Brain -
Hands like feet
Austalopithecus afarensis -
Eastern Africa - 4 Million years ago
- Bipedial - Long arms - Small
brain - Broad pelvis
Australopithecus africanus
- Southern Africa - 3.5
Million years ago - Bipedial
- Long arms - Small brain
Homo habilis - Eastern Africa - 2.6-1.6
Million years ago - Human skeleton- Bipedial
- Flatter face - Robust jaw - Narrow molars -
Brain size (600-800ml) - Produced tools
Homo erectus -Africa, Asia,
Indonesia (Europe?) - 1.8- 0.6 million
years ago - Human skeleton - Robust
jaw - Smaller teeth - Ridge on skull
front - Brain size (750-1250ml) -
Complex tools - Fire - Cooked meat
Homo neanderthalensis - Europe & Western
Asia - 150'000-30'000 years ago - Human
skeleton - Adapted to cold - Small ridge on skull
front - Large nose - Small teeth - Brain size
(1200-1750ml) - Complex social behaviour
Homo sapiens - Worldwide - 250'000 years
ago-present day - Human skeleton - Short &
broad pelvis - Straight feet - Brain size
(1300-1500ml) - Advanced tools - Cave
paintings - DEVELOPED LANGUAGE
The development of a spoken language
was an important development - Transmit
knowledge, ideas and emotions