Jan. 10/ 2013

Lecture #1

Evolution and Human Activity OR
How strenuous exercise made us who we are (or at least who we used to be)
In 2004
2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese
31% of SK pop was obese

-The world has more obese people than starving people
-More people die in India from over eating than under eating
-Because of poverty, food security issues, Indigenous people are at even greater risk of obesity.
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Australopithecus Afarentis - approx. 3-4 million years ago
“Lucy” 1.1m tall, 29kg
Small Skull & Brain
Reduced size of teeth from apes, grinding molars-human-like
They were bipedal (walked upright)
Foragers-plants, berries, roots

HUMAN EVOLUTION – The Savanna Theory

6-8 million years ago, something caused our ancestors to leave the forest and move to the plains.
Bipedalism provided hominids with an advantage - walking was slow but over time efficient
Standing erect may have provided added protection in a hostile environment

-Homo Erectus appeared about 2 million years Before Present lasted until approx. 100 thousand B.P.
-An increase in brain size
-A reduction in postcanine dentition and a correlated decrease in jaw size
-Vertical shortening of the face
-Shortening of arm bones (especially the forearm) to come to a very human like limb proportions
-The development of a more barrel-shaped chest
-The formation of an external nose
-Reached modern human size in terms of height
-Highly social-hunter-gatherer society-used tools
-First indication of meat consumption
-They were the first Hominids to leave Africa

Dennis Bramble and Daniel Lieberman
The Endurance Running Hypothesis
Nature Nov. 18 2004

This article was a HUGE shift in science.

The ER Hypothesis & Homo Erectus
Human traits developed as adaptions to endurance running

-Mostly hairless, million of sweat glands to shed heat (vs panting)
-Large gluteal muscles
-Ability to run long distances