Paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology (pronounced: /ˌpeɪlioʊˌænθrəˈpɒlədʒi/), also spelled palaeoanthropology, is the scientific study of human evolution. It is a subfield of anthropology, the study of human cultures, societies, and physical characteristics.
Etymology
The term "paleoanthropology" is derived from the Greek words palaios (παλαιός), meaning "old" or "ancient"; anthropos (ἄνθρωπος), meaning "human"; and logia (λογία), meaning "study".
Related Terms
- Hominin: A member of the human lineage after it split from the chimpanzee lineage.
- Hominid: A member of the family Hominidae, which includes humans, gorillas, and chimpanzees.
- Fossil: The preserved remains or traces of animals, plants, and other organisms from the remote past.
- Evolution: The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth.
- Anthropology: The scientific study of humans, human behavior and societies in the past and present.
Overview
Paleoanthropology combines the disciplines of paleontology and anthropology. It is the study of ancient humans, as found in fossil hominid evidence such as petrifacted bones and footprints. The subject involves an understanding of the morphological, developmental, and genetic changes that occurred during human evolution, as well as the environmental forces that drove these changes.
Paleoanthropologists use a variety of techniques to date the fossils they find, to reconstruct the environments in which early humans and their ancestors lived, and to understand the diet, behavior, and diseases of these extinct hominins.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Paleoanthropology
- Wikipedia's article - Paleoanthropology
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