Genetics and Human Evolution
The Evolution of Man, Octavio Ocampo, wikiart.org
Recent technological breakthroughs in genomic analysis, combined with archeological, paleoanthropological, linguistic and other information, now give us an unparalleled opportunity to trace humanity’s evolution and movement in time.
Scientific Breakthroughs
Technological breakthroughs across several fields give us an unparalleled opportunity to trace humanity’s evolution and movement in time—how we developed, differentiated and interbred many times, and arrived at our present planet-wide population.
Humans Were Not Alone Until Recently
Ancient genomes show definitively that our ancestors not only met but mated with Denisovans and Neanderthals—multiple times—between 100,000 and 40,000 years ago. This interbreeding conveyed genetic adaptations that improved our chances of survival.
Tracking Human Movement Across the Globe
Prior to our ability to analyze aDNA, we could only interpret ancient history from art and artefacts. This led anthropologists and historians to assume that the spread of ideas was the primary cause of change. Now we know that the primary cause was often due not to influence but to interbreeding.
Biological Traits and the Fiction of Race
Ancient DNA has enabled scientists to understand how complex biological traits evolve over time. They can follow the complex evolution of skin pigmentation and traits such as blue eyes and height.
Neanderthal Man
In Search of Lost Genomes
by Svante Pääbo
Reviewed by George Kasabov
Neanderthals, our nearest cousin species, finally died out soon after 40,000 years ago. How are we related to them?
The Age of Empathy and The Bonobo and the Atheist
Frans de Waal
Both reciprocity and empathy – the two pillars upon which morality is built – are found in bonobos, apes and other social animals. But only humans are able to “abstract” the value and extend the behavioral constraints of “one-on-one” morality to the larger society, including strangers.
The Gap
The Science of What Separates Us from Other Animals
Thomas Suddendorf
A leading research psychologist concludes that our abilities surpass those of animals because our minds evolved two overarching qualities.
Before the Dawn
Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors
Nicholas Wade
New York Times science writer explores humanity’s origins as revealed by the latest genetic science.
In the series: Discovering Our Distant Ancestors
- Our Nearest Relatives: Bonobos and Chimpanzees
- Our Hominid Predecessors
- She Has Her Mother’s Laugh
- Neanderthal Man – In Search of Lost Genomes
- The Evolution of Human Morality: The Age of Empathy and The Bonobo and the Atheist
- The Gap: The Science of What Separates Us from Other Animals
- Before the Dawn: New details of human evolution revealed