Homo erectus is considered the first truly human species due to having a larger brain and more sophisticated stone tools compared to earlier hominins. Homo heidelbergensis was an archaic human that lived between 600,000-200,000 years ago in Europe and Africa. Homo neanderthalensis was well-adapted to Ice Age Europe with biological adaptations like sturdy bones and muscles and cultural adaptations like advanced tool-making. Significant fossil finds of Homo heidelbergensis and Homo neanderthalensis include sites in Germany and Spain. The Denisovans were an ancient human group related to Neanderthals that inhabited Siberia, while Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the "Hobbit

1. Sources:
1.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cooking-up-bigger-
brains/
2. http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-family-tree
3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKNAA4wLpVY&feature=y
outu.be
PROMPT 1
Homo erectus
is generally considered the first truly human species. Why?
What are the characteristics of
H. erectus
that define them as human?
PROMPT 2
Who was
Homo hedelbergensis
?
PROMPT 3
Homo neanderthalensis
was a highly sophisticated human species well adapted to life
Ice Age Europe, both culturally and biologically. What are the
biological adaptations to the cold that we see in
H. neanderthalensis
? What about their cultural adaptations
PROMPT 4
Using the information in the tutorials and at the Smithsonian
site, discuss some of the most significant fossil finds for
Homo heidelbergensis
and
Homo neanderthalensis

2. ? When and where were they found? What are their
characteristics?
PROMPT 5
There are 3 models for the origin and dispersal of
Homo sapiens
. What do each of these models state? Which model is best
supported by the evidence?
PROMPT 6
Who were the Denisovans? Feel free to do a web search to find
additional information about them but include links to any sites
you use.
PROMPT 7
Who was
Homo floresiensis
? What are the various hypotheses about them? Feel free to do a
web search to find additional information about them but
include links to any sites you use.