What does the fossil record tell us about the evolution of the hominid skull?

The fossil record, along with studies of human and ape DNA, indicate that humans shared a common ancestor with chimpanzees and bonobos sometime around 6 million years ago (mya).

How did the skull develop?

Skull development can be divided into neurocranium and viscerocranium formation, a process starting between 23 and 26 days of gestation. Neurocranium growth leads to cranial vault development via membranous ossification, whereas viscerocranium expansion leads to facial bone formation by ossification.

What causes the skull to change shape?

Dents in your skull can be caused by trauma, cancer, bone diseases, and other conditions. If you notice a change in your skull shape, you should make an appointment with your doctor. Take note of any other symptoms, like headaches, memory loss, and vision difficulties, that could be connected to a dent in your skull.

How would you explain the story of human evolution?

Human evolution is the lengthy process of change by which people originated from apelike ancestors. Scientific evidence shows that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all people originated from apelike ancestors and evolved over a period of approximately six million years.

Why do we focus on the skull and teeth so much when we study human evolution?

We have chosen to focus on hominid evolution because (1) it is one of the most controversial and misunderstood topics in science today; (2) the hominid fossil record has recently become particularly rich, providing a framework for constructing phylogenies of human evolution; (3) skulls are small and transportable (vs …

What caused the shape of the human skull to change?

The change from the oblong skull and protruding face of ancient humans (right) to the modern rounder skull and retracted face is associated with a sharper bend in the floor of the brain case (lower left), thought to be caused by increased brain size. Daniel Lieberman can see millions of years of human evolution at a glance.

How did the late australopithecines’ heads differ from ours?

While the late australopithecines were similar to humans anatomically below the neck, their heads were significantly different from ours in several key features. Their adult brain size was about 1/3 that of people today. As a result, the widest part of the skull of these early hominins was below the brain case.

Why study the skulls of our extinct ancestors?

On this page… Examining the skulls of living apes and our extinct ancestors allows us to explore characteristics which reflect the evolutionary relationships in our family tree. These skulls are all casts of original fossils.

How did modern humans evolve from archaic humans?

Current data suggest that modern humans evolved from archaic humans primarily in East Africa. A 195,000 year old fossil from the Omo 1 site in Ethiopia shows the beginnings of the skull changes that we associate with modern people, including a rounded skull case and possibly a projecting chin.