The evolution of man can be traced back in a time ranging ten million years ago. The development started from a common ancestor, who existed back around five to eight million years ago, who shared the same characteristics with the Orrorin genesis, and the Sahelanthropustchadensis. The development from the Australopithecus to the modern Homo sapiens shows a significant drift in their brain size, increase in body size, a shift in the diet as well as the growth in food expenditure and intakes (Anton & Snodgrass, p 2). The early man was characterized by a continuous increase in brain size, which made him more creative and productive. There was the development of the thumb, which enabled him to hold tools made from stones and bones.
The tools made included the stone tools by the H. habilis, and the giant stone hand axes made out of flint and quartzite, by the H. erectus. The development in the humans showed significant growth in the brain capacity too. Later there was the introduction of needles, and following the Cro-Magnons, which included knives, skimmers, and blades. The development of man is, however, characterized by the biological, morphological and even behavioral transition. The morphological characters that were experienced were the increase in gestation period from the Australopithecus to the modern H. sapiens. The modern human being has a brain capacity of 1,330 cm3, which is twice the normal brain of the chimpanzees and the other primates. The Homo habilishad a brain capacity of 600 cm3, while the Homo erectus, who had a brain size ranging between 800 to 1,100 cm3. The Neanderthals also had a brain size ranging between 1,200–1,900 cm3 which were larger than the H. Sapiens. The development of the human allowed for the development of learning and even social learning.
Works Cited
Anton Susan C., and Snodgrass Josh J., “origins and Evolution of Genus Homo”, Current Anthropology, Vol. 53, Supplement 6, Dec. 2012
