Homo habilis (the first homo, 2.2-1.6 million years ago) |
Our universe is constructed from a multitude of
various materials. It is dynamic in shape and form due to a multitude of
various processes and interactions between these materials. To the human,
however, in his need to establish his place and purpose in the universe, the
most important material is biological material and the most important process
is evolution, far it is only here that the human can learn to understand him,
an understanding which is vital to his survival.
Many evolutionists, anthropologists, scientists have
surmised and conjectured about the human over the centuries, and still do, but
the truth about the human may be found only through factual knowledge. But that
factual knowledge lies in a process called evolution. The human is what
evolution made him.
Man
has been a tribal animal since he first walked erect, more than four million
years ago. With the impediment of being bipedal, man could not out-climb or
outrun his predators. Only he could hold his predators through tribal
co-operation.
The
word hominidae is used to describe the total member species of
the human family that have lived since the last common ancestor; the ancestor
of both man and the apes. A hominid is
an individual species within that family. Paleoanthropology is the field of
science which studies the human fossil record. It
is the intersection of the disciplines of paleontology (the study of ancient
life forms) and anthropology (the study of humans). Each hominid name consists
of a genus name (e.g. Australopithecus, Homo) which is always start
with upper case, and a species name (e.g. africanus, erectus) which
is always in lower case.
A brief
history of Human Evolution:
The
times of existence of the various hominids are based on dated fossil remains.
Each species may have existed earlier and/or later than shown, but fossil proof
has not been discovered yet. There is also dispute concerning many overlapping
species, for example, the overlap between Homo habilis and Homo
erectus. It could well be that the two are continuing examples of the same
species. The same dispute exists with Homo erectus, Homo
sapiens archaic and Homo sapiens sapiens. If all species
have been discovered and the lineage of man lies within them, the most probable
lineage would include all but the robust Australopithecines
and the Neanderthal.
Species
|
Time Period
|
Ardipithicus ramidus
|
5 to 4 million years ago
|
Australopithecus anamensis
|
4.2 to 3.9 million years ago
|
Australopithecus afarensis
|
4 to 2.7 million years ago
|
Australopithecus africanus
|
3 to 2 million years ago
|
Australopithecus robustus
|
2.2 to 1.6 million years ago
|
Homo habilis
|
2.2 to 1.6 million years ago
|
Homo erectus
|
2.0 to 0.4 million years ago
|
Homo sapiens archaic
|
400 to 200 thousand years ago
|
Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
|
200 to 30 thousand years ago
|
Homo sapiens sapiens
|
200 thousand years ago to present
|
My
interest in Neanderthal though there are lots of controversy on Neanderthal
either they r human or apes. Is there any evidence for Neanderthal? Lots of
question in my mind and in this article, I am going to discuss on this.
The
Neanderthal:
The Neanderthal |
The Homo sapiens neanderthalensis probably came from far northern Europe, they are the
descendants of an ancient, Homo erectus tribe, a tribe that had migrated to that region (North Europe) many hundreds of
thousands of years before. They had many physical characteristics of the
Eskimo, who is well tuned to arctic living. They were stocky, almost massive,
in build. The male Neanderthals were about 5'6" tall but they were much heavier and
stronger than modern man. Neanderthals had the large pronounced cheeks usually
associated with cold weather adaptation. They walked as erectly as modern human.
Their tools paralleled the coexisting Homo sapiens sapiens. Although
lacking a forehead, they had brains that averaged 1450cc, about 8% larger than
modern man. They were the first Homo species to bury their dead, complete with flowers and
artifacts.
Facts
about Neanderthal man:
Neanderthal
skeletons have been unearthed with the voice box intact. These are called hyoid
bones. Neanderthal's hyoid bones are identical to modern humans. Neanderthal
had the ability to speak. They were relatively shorter than modern
humans but were more powerful than modern man. They had the ability to carry
heavier loads with less strain. They had also extremely thick bones with extreme
calcification in the bones. They were extremely muscular and strong.
Neanderthal on left and modern human on right |
According
to the Evolutionary theory, Neanderthals had smaller braincase with larger
brain than the modern human.
The
vertebral columns of the Shanidar Neanderthals were similar to those of modern human
but with a marked tendency to robustness. The ribs are thick and the upper limb
bones disclose a pattern of morphology close to that of other Neanderthals of
the Near East and of Europe. This
pattern includes powerful shoulders, arms and hands built for grasping, pulling
and lifting. The lower limb remains conforms to the pattern of Neanderthal man
in that they were robust, powerfully muscled and in keeping with upright
posture and bipedal gait. In addition, it seems that the distribution of
muscularity is such that powerful acceleration would have been possible in
running, jumping or climbing.
In
summary, Neanderthals were more muscular, more agile, and stronger with a
greater bone density than modern humans. They also had a bigger brain. They
would easily overpower most modern day Homo Sapiens. When
archeologists describe Neanderthal they often use the word "robust."
This is a fancy way of saying bigger, thicker or larger.
Neanderthal had a flatter skull but it was longer and wider |
Was Neanderthal Fully Human? Was the Unique One?
What
caused Neanderthal's unique facial and skeletal characteristics? Evolutionists
will tell you that since Neanderthal is an ancestor of modern humans the
morphological differences are due to the evolutionary changes that are
constantly remolding our features. But many scientists disagree with the term
Evolution and the theory of Evolution in case of Neanderthal creation. Some scientists
in their research show that non-evolutionary factors and forces could have
produced Neanderthal's unique anatomical differences. But their explanation and
their research is based on The Bible (The Holy Book of Christians) where they
got some evidence which can proof that Neanderthal was not a combination
half-man half-ape. He was fully human and was a full-fledged member of the
human family. These scientists consider the facts that outlined in the Bible.
According
to some scientists, Neanderthals were the direct descendant of Adam. They were
therefore closer to the creation than we are. Adam and Eve did not suffer
from genetic loading. Genetic loading is the devolution of our genetic material
via mutations and alterations in our chromosomes. The Bible states that
after Adam
and Eve were created that God
pronounced his creation very good (Genesis 1:31). Adam and Eve had
perfect genetics. They would not suffer from many of the genetic diseases that
we have today because of genetic imperfection. After Adam and Eve sinned then
death and decay was projected into the picture. They intermarried among
themselves. This would not have caused any physical problems because there
would have been no genetic loading. When a mutation occurs in the genetic
material it is usually recessive. In other word it does not manifest itself
unless it is matched with another recessive gene from the other parent. Adam's
closer descendants did not have these mutated recessive genes. Abraham married
his half-sister. This caused no genetic problems. As
mankind progressed, then God had to institute marriage laws. By this time
humanity had built up a number of genetic mutations and marriage among close
relatives would have caused defects and diseases.
It is quite interesting that
scientists believed that Neanderthal man was a direct descendant of Adam and
Eve. Neanderthal man was not a product of evolution. He was fully human and was
a product of his environment with larger brained, more muscular, extremely
strong, and longer-lived than modern man.
Neanderthals were a human race no different from us on the levels of intelligence and skill........so this race either disappeared from history by assimilating and mixing with other races............ or became extinct in some unknown manner..... but they were definitely not primitive or half-ape.
ReplyDelete@Jahed
yaa..they are definitely a member of Homo family.....but disappearance of this race is due to some environmental factors which causes genetic loading (the devolution of genetic materials via mutation and alteration in chromosomes)....but the existence of Neanderthals was the result of Noah's flood (described in GENESIS)..and a part of scientists believe in this...thus they concluded that this races were the direct descendant of Adam.......
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