Study: Human evolution had rocky start

The fact that we are here , allowed to exist until this day and age, is phenominal in it's self. But "Why are we here?" enthuesists are really breaking down the "Question" barriers to how it all could've been evolution and not done by the acts of an almighty creator, "Or could it prove that it was?"
Seems to me we have more questions than answers, but the flailing attempts may be paying off for the results that have'nt been contiplated or looked into yet. I , for one, am a full believer in the "Evolutionary" belief system of explanations, not to minimize the religions of faiths and the areas of believing there is an "Omni-potent" creator, but when push comes to shove, and the evidences are put on the table, I would have to believe the facts established by the scientist of this "Possible" extrapulation of how we are what we are, and where it all began.

Geology may be a long-overlooked, major factor that created conditions favoring the evolution of modern humans.

There are explanation's of this all coming to a true form of enlightened reflection. I hope you enjoy the read, and even more so, get a fresh new look into an ongoing question of most of us,; "Where did it all begin?"

Source of Info.:

www.msnbc.msn.com...

interesting read, there is no doubt that geological changes which induces climatic changes, directs environment diversity or selective pressures.

this may be a little off topic but it reminded me of the sudden diversity of dinosaur species coinciding when the super-continent begun to break up causing new environments and species to be left in isolation and so on.

very interesting and unifying how geological changes and biological changes are interconnected so gracefully.

reply to post by Allred5923


I agree mostly with the article but i dont believe it was that simple, i think it was a combination of not only geological and biological enviroment changes but also social changes, not necesarily bought about by the other two. If not for our unique, quirky differences to other hominids we'd still be just another upright ape on the evolutionary tree.

I dont understand the article. Evolution, by definition, require an enviroment. So of course geological factors (which an obvious subsection to enviromental factors) plays a vital role. Yet this article states its overlooked???

Originally posted by mojo4sale
If not for our unique, quirky differences to other hominids we'd still be just another upright ape on the evolutionary tree.

I wonder about this.

How do we know that our ancestors were all that different from other hominids that were around?

I don't think we were. Not until I can see where any evidence of this difference has been found.

I suppose it depends on how far back you go, though. Maybe.

I think we're not so different now from what we were 250,000 years ago. I also have a suspicion that we differ only subtly from Erectus.

Just a feeling though.

Harte

reply to post by Harte


I guess i'm thinking more 27,000 to 50,000 years ago.
Something seperated us from Neandertals, a totally unrelated hominid species which we coexisted with and who became extinct, and from that period on compared to previous hominid species we seemed to have evolved, not just physically but socially as well, at a fairly rapid pace dont you think?

reply to post by mojo4sale

According to wiki, something seperated us from Erectus between 250K and 400K years ago... With "modern" man dating back 160K years.

Regarding the "rapid" pace of human "evolution", I dont think its been very rapid. You really have to define what your idea of evolution is. As people, we're just the same now as say 3000 years ago. There's just more of us. Why is there more of us? Because we breed like we're in constant heat

If anything, our pace of "evolution" has DECLINED simply because we live longer: Those 3000 years ago, there where 2 generations for every current generation (or 3 for that matter)

Originally posted by merka

Regarding the "rapid" pace of human "evolution", I dont think its been very rapid. You really have to define what your idea of evolution is.

This probably explains what im trying to say better than my foggy brain.



Compared to all the other hominid species which had all been around a hell of a lot longer than Homo sapiens sapiens it seems to me that we have come a long way in a very short space of time.
Thats what i mean by our rapid evolution. That does not exclusively mean physical evolution but social and cognitive evolution as well.
Perhaps adaption is a better word, cut me some slack will ya, its 5am here and ive had a couple.

[edit on 21/12/07 by mojo4sale]

Well some people would argue that there where civilizations long before us

What this is "rapid evolution" of yours is really about, is the foundation of cities and the introduction of writing: recording knowledge was suddenly a factor... And it changed the world.

Is it possible that none of this occured for the other humanoid species? Yes! People often ask "why not?" but "why?" is an equally valid question. Status Quo exist, as visible by primitive tribes still living today!

Could geological changes be the reason people started bunching together in the thousands, which kicked off the current human era? Its quite possible. This is why I dont see it as an over-looked factor.

Originally posted by mojo4sale[/i
Something seperated us from Neandertals, a totally unrelated hominid species which we coexisted with and who became extinct,

there has been some evidence to suggest that neanderthals and homo sapiens actually interbreed as of the time of there disappearance around western europe. so maybe neandethrals never actually went extinct and our species merely merged various genes together. they could even be our best qualities.