1. Humans and Other Primates

2. Theories
 Most scientists agree that there is
enough evidence to support the
theory that humans, apes, and
monkeys share a common
ancestor
 Many fossils of organisms show
traits of both humans and apes

3. Primates
 Primates: a group of mammals that
includes humans, apes, monkeys, and
lemurs
 Have opposable thumbs (5 flexible
fingers)
 Have binocular vision (eyes are
located on front of head and provide
3-D vision

5. First primates
Ancestors of
primates were
mouse-like
mammals that
were active at
night, lived in
trees, and ate
insects

6.  First primates did not exist until
dinosaurs died out
 Chimpanzee is the closest living
relative of humans
 This doesn’t mean that humans
descended from chimps
 Means that humans and chimps had a
common ancestor

9. Hominids
 Humans are in a family separate from
other primates
 Hominids: includes only humans and
their human-like ancestors
 Main characteristic that separates
hominids from other primates is
bipedalism walking up right on two
feet

11. Hominids Through Time
 Scientists have named at least 18
types of hominids
 Earliest hominids
 Ability to walk upright, smaller teeth,
flatter faces, larger brains that earlier
primates
 Oldest hominid fossils have been found
in Africa

12. Australopithecines
 Members of this
group were
similar to apes
but different in
several ways
 Some may have
used stone tools
 Climbed trees,
but walked on
two legs

13. Variety of Early Hominids
 Global Hominids
 About 2.3 million years ago, new group of
hominids appeared
 Larger and more complex brains, rounder
skulls, and flatter faces that earlier
hominids
 Showed advanced tool-making abilities
 Walked upright

14.  Members of group
Homo, which includes
modern humans (Homo
Sapiens)
 Early member of this
group was Homo
hablis, which lived 2
million year ago
 Homo erectus appeared
a million years later and
grew as tall as modern
humans

16. Recent Hominids
 As recently as 30,000 years ago, two
types of hominids may have lived in the
same areas at the same time
 Both had largest brains of any hominid
 More advanced tools, clothing, and art
 Modern humans may have descended
from one of these two types of hominids

17.  Neanderthals
 Lived in Europe and
western Asia
 Hunted large animals,
made fires, and wore
clothing
 Disappeared 30,000
years ago and no one
knows what caused
their extinction

18.  Early and Modern
Humans
 Modern humans
are classified as
Homo sapiens
 Earliest group
existed in Africa
 Of all known
hominids, only
Homo sapiens exist
 Seem to be the
first to create art