Question 1

About how many million years ago (mya) did the first member of the human genus, Homo, emerge in tropical Africa?

Accepted Answer

The first member of the human genus, Homo, is believed to have emerged in tropical Africa about 2.5 million years ago.

Question 2

During the Ice Age, when did the last period when glacial ice covered large parts of the Northern Hemisphere?

Accepted Answer

The last period when glacial ice covered large parts of the Northern Hemisphere, known as the Last Glacial Maximum, occurred approximately 15,000 years ago.

Question 3

With the appearance of the first humans during the Great Ice Age, this period is also known as what?

Accepted Answer

The Great Ice Age, marked by the appearance of the first humans, is also referred to as The Age of Humanity, highlighting the significant evolutionary and societal developments during this period.

Question 4

Bipedalism favors endurance and the covering of long distances, which made it important for which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Bipedalism, or walking on two legs, is thought to have been an evolutionary advantage for early humans in terms of hunting, gathering, and toolmaking. It allowed for greater endurance and the ability to cover long distances, which were crucial for tracking prey, moving between resource-rich areas, and carrying tools or gathered items.

Question 5

When hominins came down from trees, home bases most critically provided protection from the sun and what else?

Accepted Answer

Home bases provided critical protection from predators, which was a significant concern for early hominins adapting to life on the ground away from the relative safety of trees.

Question 6

What is the genus, with some ape-like and human-like features, is the oldest-known hominin?

Accepted Answer

Sahelanthropus tchadensis is considered the oldest-known hominin, dating back about 7 million years, and exhibits both ape-like and human-like features.

Question 7

Which method of dating allows the dating of volcanic rocks between 2 billion and 100,000 years old?

Accepted Answer

Potassium-argon dating is used to date volcanic rocks and ash layers. It measures the decay of radioactive potassium-40 to argon-40, which is suitable for dating materials between 100,000 and several billion years old.

Question 8

Hominins that displayed tree-climbing characteristics such as long curved arms and fingers are considered to be …

Accepted Answer

Arboreal hominins are those that lived in trees, and the characteristics of long curved arms and fingers are adaptations for climbing and living in trees.

Question 9

The genus Australopithecines lived between 4.2 mya and …

Accepted Answer

The genus Australopithecines lived between approximately 4.2 million years ago (mya) and 1.8 mya, marking a significant period in human evolution where various important adaptations occurred.

Question 10

Although still subject to debate, many anthropologists considered which hominin to be the first human toolmaker?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Although still subject to debate, many anthropologists...

Question 11

For membership in the genus Homo, what cranial capacity do anthropologists consider to be the minimum?

Accepted Answer

Anthropologists generally consider a cranial capacity of around 600 cubic centimeters as the minimum for membership in the genus Homo.

Question 12

When we say that the human genus is monophyletic, what does that mean?

Accepted Answer

Monophyletic refers to a group of organisms that are classified together because they share a common ancestor, indicating that all members of the human genus descend from a single ancestral species.

Question 13

About how many years ago did Homo erectus first appear in the fossil record?

Accepted Answer

Homo erectus first appeared in the fossil record approximately 1.9 million years ago, marking a significant stage in human evolution with its spread across Africa and into Asia.

Question 14

Cladistic analysis divides hominins into two groups: the more ape-like groups comprising the australopithecines and a later group Homo ergaster and Homo …

Accepted Answer

Homo ergaster and Homo erectus are often considered to be closely related or even the same species by some scholars, with Homo erectus possibly being a descendant or a geographical variant of Homo ergaster. This places them together in the later group of hominins in cladistic analysis, distinct from the more ape-like australopithecines.

Question 15

What were the earliest human tools probably made out of?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What were the earliest human tools probably...

Question 16

The oldest-known stone tool industry is the …

Accepted Answer

The Oldowan is recognized as the oldest-known stone tool industry, dating back to about 2.6 million years ago. These tools were primarily used by early humans for cutting and breaking down animal carcasses, among other uses.

Question 17

The making of stone tools requires what kind of mental ability?

Accepted Answer

The making of stone tools involves the skill to shape one tool by using another, good hand-eye coordination, and the ability to recognize acute angles in stone. These abilities are essential for precisely striking and shaping stone tools, indicating a complex mental and physical skill set.

Question 18

The brilliant technological, artistic, and expressive skills of humankind may well be a consequence of the fact that our early ancestors had to be more and more …

Accepted Answer

The development of social skills was crucial for early human survival, leading to advancements in communication, cooperation, and cultural expression.

Question 19

What physiological feature that other animals lack allows humans to produce sounds for language?

Accepted Answer

The lower position of the larynx in humans creates a longer vocal tract, allowing for a greater range of sounds necessary for complex speech.

Question 20

Dsiscuss the environmental and climate changes brought about by the Great Ice Age. How did these changes affect the early human ancestors?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dsiscuss the environmental and climate changes brought...

Quiz 2: Human Origins