Homo Futuris Options

[shivani]

I was watching a program , which suggests that Apes evolved into Homo Sapiens, not only because of adaption, but also that the process was driven by some genes inside us. We remembered what we have to become, and that memory helped us become human.

But the process is not yet over. We are still evolving.
Most of the information available is in french though .

Any other info on same??

MJ ???

[Mandrake]

Bibhas, I haven't gone through the lamba chauda post yet (will do so a li'l later), but just a curious question:

can you help me walk through a generalized time frame from ape to man changeover (or wherever to man)?

I am not a doubter of people's abilities and knowledge, and I wouldn't ever argue with a professional, as you are in your field.
But I wish to satisfy my curiosities, and answer my doubts. From here on, pls pls don't take my doubts and disbeliefs personally. I am in no way questioning your ability. I am only trying to widen the horizons of my 'flawed' understanding of certain processes...

[bibhas]

Bibhas, I haven't gone through the lamba chauda post yet (will do so a li'l later), but just a curious question:

can you help me walk through a generalized time frame from ape to man changeover (or wherever to man)?

Humans belong to the group of mammals known as Primates (which includes lemurs, monkeys, apes and humans). The evolution of Primates started about 55 million years ago. Based on the fossil records of the various species of Proconsul (I had referred to this in that lamba-chauda post), the split between the common ancestors of monkeys and apes happened about 20 million years ago. Based on DNA analysis of apes, humans and fossil DNA, the common ancestor of apes and humans is thought to have existed about 5-8 million years ago. At some point towards the later end of this period, the split between apes and humans occurred. I hope you've had the chance to read that long post of mine by now and if you did, you'll appreciate the fact that distinctively human traits did not appear all at once but did so as a gradual process and so it becomes important to define what is considered to be the begining of appearance of human traits. Walking upright habitually and reduced canine teeth size are considered to be the earliest hallmark features that signalled the start of human evolution. And so over the last 4 and 1/2 million years or so, we went from being Australopiths (who were different from apes in pretty much only those two major traits) to being our current species, Homo sapiens.

I hope I answered your question MJ. If not, feel free to ask.

Edit: Added on Feb 20, 2006, 12.55 pm EST
Mandrake- here is a picture that complements the timelines of human evolution. This composite was created by none other than John Gurche, the famous paleo-artist that also brought "Jurassic Park" to life!