Timestone
16
Today
Homo sapiens
Our physical features are not much different
from those of Cro-Magnon. Our cultural advances, as you can see around
you, have been major over the last 40,000 years.
Hominids have come a long way in more than 4 million years. As a result
of the refinement of our skills and communication abilities, our footprints
are everywhere, even on the moon. However, we are not the peak of
the evolutionary process. We are simply the only hominids left standing.
That places on our shoulders a responsibility to care for the planet
we inherited.
Photo of Neil Armstrong's
footprint
Homo sapiens
Placed on the moon on July 21, 1969
Modern
Humans
The last 40,000 years
Humans are found everywhere.
Modern humans dominate the surface of the planet-there are more than 6 billion of us, and we can live anywhere. The major difference between us and earlier human species is not so much the way we look, but the way we live: our technologies, economies, and innovations.
We view the world differently.
The culture of modern humans includes history, myths, science fiction, television, and virtual reality. We symbolize our membership in peer groups by our dress, behavior, speech, music, and technology. We live in a world of ethnic, cultural, and technological diversity, even though the DNA we share with one another is 99.9% identical.
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Language
How did language evolve?
All modern languages share a common ancestral language, but
no one knows when or how language began. Some scientists think
it came after a genetic mutation "rewired" the brain.
Others think it grew from increased social contact or communications
between mothers and infants. No matter how it started, language
brought on a cultural explosion.
Language had a huge impact.
Once a complex language was in use, humans could form sophisticated
societies, cooperate with others, have discussions, and pass
on new ways of making tools. Along with language, humans started
using symbols, as seen in cave art, carvings, and jewelry. Today,
complex spoken language is one of the few traits that sets humans
apart from other primates. |
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