The Roots of Modern Humans

        Hominids and modern humans emerged and evolved because their traits were selected for reproduction by the environment; this follows the principle of natural selection. The first hominids, australopithecines, had two distinct and advantageous attributes that enabled them to survive: bipedalism and an opposable thumb. The former enabled them to, “travel distances more easily…spot threatening animals, and carry food and children” (7). The latter enabled them to grasp and make tools (7). However, tools weren’t made until a new genus and species evolved called Homo habilis. Next, the Homo erectus outcompeted the H. habilis because of its adaptability and sophistication. “Upright man” made specialized tools, migrated, controlled fire, and even had the rudiments of a language (8). Finally, the Homo sapiens appeared as Cro-Magnons, who, with their superior intellect, populated the earth (9). Each of these human species was selected for because they had a larger brain than their ancestor (8-9). Thus, the modern human is the fine-tuned product of ancient ape-like ancestors; the refinery in this case has been natural selection.

        Although human civilization first appeared ten thousand years ago, the seeds were planted much before this time. Two achievements we accredit to the hunter-gathering Cro-Magnons of the Paleolithic Age are language and leadership (24). The former was already developing with Homo erectus, but Cro-Magnons used it more comprehensively (8, 10). This form of communication was essential to having humans work together in a civilization. The latter occurred in small familial hunting groups, where the patriarch would guide the rest to game and safety. A leader was necessary to maintain order within the kinship group, which would eventually lead to a civilization (14). However, one invention that was pivotal in the development of culture occurred during the Neolithic Age: agriculture. When, “some of the women may have scattered seeds near a regular campsite,” and came back later to see crops growing, the agricultural revolution sprung to life (15). Along with this came the skill of taming animals (16). Growing crops and domesticating animals provided a steadier source of food in comparison to hunting. The results of this were twofold: first, clans could now settle down in one place (cf. Jarmo and Catal Huyuk), and second, certain members could adopt less survival-focused jobs. With these conditions met, the roots of a culture could finally branch out (15-18).

        As discoveries in the past century have demonstrated, from australopithecines to Cro-Magnon men, while the Hominidae genus has evolved over forty million years, civilization and culture has existed for less than ten millennia. However, humanity’s tale has not finished. New transitions in the fossil record are still to be found which will provide a more detailed portrait of our evolutionary ancestors. For example, just in 2002, a six million year old skull—the oldest human ancestor yet—was discovered in Chad (11). Moreover, the Homo sapiens species is not the end of the hominid phylogenetic tree. We are merely a stepping-stone to a much greater species—one that the environment will select from within us to populate the earth one day.