This seminar was by Susana Carvalho. She discussed tool use in chimpanzees especially
Although there has been much research into human evolution, there is still a lot of bias surrounding the question of where we evolved from. There is a conflict within the scientific community with some saying Africa and some Europe.
Fossil evidence is also often unclear and incomplete, adding to the confusion.
One theory for human evolution claims that we evolved as a result of fragmentation of forests in the Mid-Miocene era.
African Rift Valley
Located in the Gorongosa national park are many fossils, it is here were some scientists believe this is where human evolution began.
It is an area of great biodiversity and includes many different biomes.
Paleo Primate Project
Susana study included her surveying fossils found in the park, the project has numerous study sites where the fossils are normally bones.
Hominid mandibles have been found in the park and the teeth bones have shown that the diet was mainly herbivorous.
Susana and the team on the study believe they have discovered a new species of hominid. And have propose a new hypothesis that bipedal movement evolved as a result of adapting to flooded conditions.
Other aspects of the study included behavioural studied of baboons in the area to understand how bones are distributed after a hunt.
The digestion of bone marrow has also lead to the proposition that this leads to increased brain development.
Individual thoughts and opinions
I found this seminar very interesting as there were numerous new theories and ideas being proposed. The study opens the gateway into further research in the field and greatly furthers our understanding of early human development.
The seminar also helped answer the age old question of how and where did humans evolve.
Oliver Stoakes Zoology 