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Time: 10 hours
Level: Introductory
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 Introduction Resource- In this unit, we will explore the fascinating question of who our ancestors were. I'll be looking at living species of apes in order to pick up clues about social structure and lifestyle in our ancestors...
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| | 1 The apes and their relationship to humans
- 1 The apes and their relationship to humans Resource
- As you work through this unit you will come across boxes, like this one, which give you advice about the study skills that you will be developing as you progress through the unit. To avoid breaking up...
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| | 2 Variable structure of ape societies
- 2 Variable structure of ape societies Resource
- You will be aware from watching the TV programme that information on behaviour and social structure of apes is gathered by many hours of patient observation.
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| | 3 Tool use and culture in ape and human societies
- 3 Tool use and culture in ape and human societies Resource
- Another surprising discovery first reported by Jane Goodall in 1960, was the routine use of tools by the Gombe chimpanzees for obtaining food. Since then, observations on other groups of chimpanzees have...
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| | 4 Who were the ancestors of Homo?
- 4 Who were the ancestors of Homo? Resource
- Fossil evidence supports Darwin's view that humans and apes evolved from an ape-like ancestor and, furthermore, suggests that the ape line diverged from the Homo line at least five million years ago (Figure...
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| | 5 Who were the ancestors of Homo sapiens?
- 5 Who were the ancestors of Homo sapiens? Resource
- Large brain size is a defining feature of Homo sapiens, which means that evolution of increased brain size in Homo is crucial evidence. Indeed, an increase in both the size and the complexity of the brain...
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- 6 Modern Homo sapiens Resource
- Modern Homo sapiens evolved in Africa about 200 000 years ago, migrating out of Africa over a long period of time. In doing so they colonised much of the world, displacing populations of Homo erectus and...
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| | 7 The threat of extinction
- 7 The threat of extinction Resource
- DA ends his book by writing eloquently of the dangers of extinction faced by mammals, from habitat loss as we exploit our environment to produce more and more food, for our growing population. However...
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| | References and Acknowledgements | |
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