Journal ArticleDOI
Pleistocene Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia
Tim D. White,Berhane Asfaw,David DeGusta,Henry Gilbert,Gary D. Richards,Gen Suwa,F. Clark Howell +6 more
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Fossilized hominid crania from Herto, Middle Awash, Ethiopia are described and provide crucial evidence on the location, timing and contextual circumstances of the emergence of Homo sapiens.Abstract:
The origin of anatomically modern Homo sapiens and the fate of Neanderthals have been fundamental questions in human evolutionary studies for over a century. A key barrier to the resolution of these questions has been the lack of substantial and accurately dated African hominid fossils from between 100,000 and 300,000 years ago. Here we describe fossilized hominid crania from Herto, Middle Awash, Ethiopia, that fill this gap and provide crucial evidence on the location, timing and contextual circumstances of the emergence of Homo sapiens. Radioisotopically dated to between 160,000 and 154,000 years ago, these new fossils predate classic Neanderthals and lack their derived features. The Herto hominids are morphologically and chronologically intermediate between archaic African fossils and later anatomically modern Late Pleistocene humans. They therefore represent the probable immediate ancestors of anatomically modern humans. Their anatomy and antiquity constitute strong evidence of modern-human emergence in Africa.read more
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Phylogenetic relationships within the cahirinus-dimidiatus group of the genus Acomys (Rodentia: Muridae): new mitochondrial lineages from Sahara, Iran and the Arabian Peninsula
Daniel Frynta,Klára Palup Íková,Erica Bellinvia,Petr Benda,Hana Skarlantová,Lucie Schwarzova,David Modrý +6 more
TL;DR: Close similarity among haplotypes from mainland Africa and NE Mediterranean support the hypothesis that ancestors of A. cahirinus sensu stricto dispersed most probably as commensal populations, thus questioning their status of valid species.
Journal ArticleDOI
Survey and explorations of caves in southeastern Ethiopia: Middle Stone Age and Later Stone Age archaeology and Holocene rock art
Zelalem Assefa,David Pleurdeau,Frederique Duquesnoy,Erella Hovers,Osbjorn M. Pearson,Asfawossen Asrat,Constantinos T,Tsion,Y. M. Lam +8 more
TL;DR: In this paper, a survey documented twenty-one cave sites and shelters with evidence of cultural deposits, including Middle Stone Age and Later Stone Age (LSA) stone artifacts, faunal remains, and rock art.
Journal ArticleDOI
A revised chronology for Pleistocene paleolakes and Middle Stone Age – Middle Paleolithic cultural activity at Bîr Tirfawi – Bîr Sahara in the Egyptian Sahara
TL;DR: In this paper, single aliquot regeneration optically stimulated luminescence (SAR-OSL) was applied to sediment samples with archaeological contexts to generate a more precise geochronology for the groundwater-supported lakes and prehistoric activities in the region.
Journal ArticleDOI
Reconnaissance of Prehistoric Sites on the Red Sea Coast of Eritrea, NE Africa
Amanuel Beyin,John J. Shea +1 more
TL;DR: A surface reconnaissance was conducted for prehistoric sites along the Gulf of Zula and the Buri Peninsula, on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea as discussed by the authors, and the sites, found in a wide range of geomorphological Settings, belong mainly to Middle Stone Age, Late Stone Age and Neolithic cultural phases.
Book ChapterDOI
Human Cumulative Cultural Evolution as a Form of Distributed Computation
TL;DR: This chapter discusses how cumulative culture increases the evolutionary fitness of a population of social learners, and focuses on complex technology as a marker of cumulative cultural evolution, and how technological complexity increases when cultures are both more populous and more connected.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Mitochondrial genome variation and the origin of modern humans
TL;DR: The global mtDNA diversity in humans is described based on analyses of the complete mtDNA sequence of 53 humans of diverse origins, providing a concurrent view on human evolution with respect to the age of modern humans.
Journal ArticleDOI
The phylogeography of Y chromosome binary haplotypes and the origins of modern human populations
Peter A. Underhill,Giuseppe Passarino,A. A. Lin,Peidong Shen,Marta Mirazón Lahr,Marta Mirazón Lahr,Robert Foley,Peter J. Oefner,Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza +8 more
TL;DR: A set of unique event polymorphisms associated with the non‐recombining portion of the Y‐chromosome (NRY) addresses this issue by providing evidence concerning successful migrations originating from Africa, which can be interpreted as subsequent colonizations, differentiations and migrations overlaid upon previous population ranges.
Journal ArticleDOI
Australopithecus ramidus, a new species of early hominid from Aramis, Ethiopia
TL;DR: The antiquity and primitive morphology of A. ramidus suggests that it represents a long-sought potential root species for the Hominidae.
Journal ArticleDOI
Out of Africa again and again.
TL;DR: A coherent picture of recent human evolution emerges with two major themes: first is the dominant role that Africa has played in shaping the modern human gene pool through at least two—not one—major expansions after the original range extension of Homo erectus out of Africa, and second is the ubiquity of genetic interchange between human populations.
Book ChapterDOI
Progress and Prospects
TL;DR: Improvement in understanding has led in some cases to better management with improved outcome for the patient, whereas in other areas the way is now clear towards a better prospect for the future.
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