Humankind Emerging

The most comprehensive, up-to-date, and readable introduction to biological anthropology and human evolution. Over 30% of the references are from 2000 or later. Humankind Emerging tells the story of how, when, and why the human lineage developed from ape-grade ancestors.In Part I, Chapters 1 and 2 present a short history of the rise of evolutionary theory and the science of genetics, followed by a description of the various mechanisms that produce evolutionary change. In Part II, Chapters 3-5 put humans in their proper context among the primates, first discussing those aspects of modern primate behavior that help to interpret human prehistory and then describing the fossil evidence for the early stages of primate evolution. In Part III, Chapters 6 and 7 describe the australopiths-members of the subtribe Australopithecina and the first representatives of humans' zoological tribe, Hominini. Part IV consists of nine chapters that detail the anatomical, cognitive, and behavioral evolution of the genus Homo and its various premodern and modern species. Here the second hominin subdivision-the subtribe Hominina-is described and interpreted. The book ends with Part V in which Chapter 17 discusses modern human diversity, the question of biological races of humans, and the challenges facing humanity in the future.Establishes a solid basis of evolutionary theory, genetics, and comparative primate socioecology that prepares students for an understanding of the hominin fossil record.Continues to provide historical background information for the major fossil discoveries. Students find this historical approach much more readable than a dry tabulation of specimens, places, and dates.Provides information on the latest discoveries of fossil primates, including remains that bring the Plesiadapiformes back into the order.Thoroughly revises the material on the Neandertals and deletes several outmoded interpretations.Gives a balanced and comprehensive treatment of the Multiregional versus "Out of Africa" explanations for the evolution of anatomically modern humans. This discussion also describes the latest fossil discoveries, including the 160,000-year-old moderns from Ethiopia, as well as the latest mtDNA studies.As in past editions, the text is richly illustrated with photographs, tables, charts, and boxed features (including anatomical details for each species) to aid in learning.Expanded running glossary items and a full end-of-book glossary facilitate reading and aid in student comprehension. Each chapter starts with a Mini-Timeline that organizes the material to come, and concludes with study questions, suggestions for further reading, and lists of useful Internet resources.Detailed diagnostic trait lists are given for all hominin species, including those recently discovered (Appendix III). An invaluable study tool, this material will be of interest to all students, but may be especially useful in advanced paleoanthropology and hominin anatomy courses.Provides boxed inserts that demonstrate the relevance of paleoanthropology in students' lives.