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6842
From: Alan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Professor Alice Roberts - Origins of Us: Human Anatomy and Evolution
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Friday 10 February 2012, 4-5pm Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham presents a lecture in association with the Great Read At Birmingham (GRAB) project. Clinical anatomist, author and broadcaster Alice Roberts gave her lecture as part of the Darwin Day celebrations, with a focus on the anatomy and evolution of humans as a species. 'We are all members of a very special species. Whilst our anatomy and physiology is undoubtedly that of an ape, we have done things that no other ape can do, and become the most successful ape on the planet. Today, our global population numbers almost seven billion; we survive and thrive everywhere from the tropics to the Arctic. So just what is it that makes us so special? In some ways we are so similar to our closest cousins, chimpanzees, but it's also clear that we are a world apart. But we can understand ourselves, how we got to where we are today, by going back into our deep past, to the time when we were just another African ape. And then tracing the small changes that over time, and unpredictably, led to us becoming human. The answers to the question of 'what makes us human?' lie buried in the ground in the form of fossils and traces of our ancestors, but also lie deep within the form and function of our bodies.' |
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6843
From: Alan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Human impact on nature 'dates back millions of years'
URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51068816
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The impact of humans on nature has been far greater and longer-lasting than we could ever imagine, according to scientists. Early human ancestors living millions of years ago may have triggered extinctions, even before our species evolved, a study suggests. A decline in large mammals seen in Eastern Africa may have been due to early humans, researchers propose. Extinction rates started to increase from around four million years ago. This coincides with the period when ancient human populations were living in the area, as judged by fossil evidence. "We are now negatively impacting the world and the species that live in it more than ever before. But this does not mean that we used to live in true harmony with nature in the past," said study researcher, Dr Søren Faurby of the University of Gothenburg. "We are extremely successful in monopolising resources today, and our results show that this may have also been the case with our ancestors." The researchers looked at extinction rates of large and small carnivores and how this correlated with environmental changes such as rainfall and temperature. They also looked at changes in the brain size of human ancestors such as Australopithecus and Ardipithecus. They found that extinction rates in large carnivores correlated with increased brain size of human ancestors and with vegetation changes, but not with precipitation or temperature changes. They found the best explanation for carnivore extinction in East Africa was that these animals were in direct competition for food with our ancestors. They think human ancestors may have stolen freshly-killed prey from the likes of sabre-toothed cats, depriving them of food. "Our results suggest that substantial anthropogenic influence on biodiversity started millions of years earlier than currently assumed," the researchers reported in the journal Ecology Letters. Co-researcher Alexandre Antonelli of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, said the view that our ancestors had little impact on the animals around them is incorrect, as "the impact of our lineage on nature has been far greater and longer-lasting than we ever could ever imagine". A landmark report last year warned that as many as one million species of animals and plants are threatened with extinction in the coming decades. A more recent study found that the growth of cities, the clearing of forests for farming and the soaring demand for fish had significantly altered nearly three-quarters of the land and more than two-thirds of the oceans. |
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6844
From: Mitra, [DNS_Address]
Subject: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
| (NT) |
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6845
From: Alan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
URL: Study: Last Common Ancestor of Humans and Apes Looked Like Gorilla or Chimpanzee
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why so? Ever since we evolved, began hunting and killing & eating critters, used fire, changed landscapes for farming, mined and smelt metals, we have have not lived in 'true' harmony - quite the opposite. Maybe around million years ago just as we split from a common ape ancestor we did 'no harm' - but since then - look around you.... ............. Humans split from our closest African ape relatives in the genus Pan around six to seven million years ago. We have features that clearly link us with African apes, but we also have features that appear more primitive. This combination calls into question whether the Homo-Pan last common ancestor looked more like modern day chimpanzees and gorillas or an ancient ape unlike any living group. A new study, published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that the simplest explanation – that the ancestor looked a lot like a chimpanzee or gorilla – is the right one, at least in the shoulder. |
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6846
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
| you forget that the apes and other primates descended from humans and their disgusting activities, not the other way around... |
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6847
From: Alan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
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At January 23, 2020 at 11:33:42, ryan wrote: you forget that the apes and other primates descended from humans and their disgusting activities, not the other way around... ?? Are you refering to interbreeding between hominids - or is that a lteral claim. If the latter any links to evidence of your extraordinary claim. Our evolutionary path is bit like Assange's unrestrained urges, I agree quite murky and opportunistic, but then marriage is a relatively recent concept ;-) |
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6848
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
| men and a female animal cannot produce offspring...but a woman and a male animal can..and that's how and why we have the other primates...check the dna if you have doubts... |
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6857
From: David Fenton, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
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So thats where politicians and lawyers came from...I was wondering about that... |
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6850
From: Alan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
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At January 23, 2020 at 12:42:25, ryan wrote: men and a female animal cannot produce offspring...but a woman and a male animal can..and that's how and why we have the other primates...check the dna if you have doubts... Oh boy, was that gleaned from a redneck beastiality video... |
6851
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
| the truth is seldom pretty... |
6852
From: Alan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
URL: Multiple lines of mysterious ancient humans interbred with us
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So let's get this straight - you're claiming in the past (8 million years ago or so?) female homo sapiens interbred with lowly ape male creature giving rise to chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans? If so that'll rewrite the textbooks... |
6853
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
| there were no "apes" at the time...other animals...a wide assortment... |
6855
From: Alan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
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What 'animal' bred with humans to give rise to 'apes'? Intrigued. |
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6854
From: Alan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
| Link please to evidence of your claim? |
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6859
From: Akira, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
| I'm guessing Gurdjieff or a bible, but I'm curious too. |
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6849
From: JTRIV, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: this does not mean that are unable to live in true harmony(NT)
URL: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2006/11/can-humans-mate-with-other-animals.html
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