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Way Back When: The Discovery of the Oldest Homo Sapiens Remains (June 13, 2003, Two)

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Program Summary

Ira’s guest has been engaging in some major skullduggery! Dr. Tim White and colleagues from 14 nations have excavated three fossilized skulls of an early species of Homo (H.) sapiens that may be the conclusive evidence needed to prove that modern man evolved in Africa.

The crania, from two adults and one child, were discovered in an area of eastern Ethiopia that is rich in hominid (human-like) remains. They are approximately 160,000 years old, which may seem like ages ago, but in the grand scheme of things is really just yesterday. Their features are so similar to ours that they have been classified as a sub-species of H. sapiens, an intermediary between us and two earlier hominids (H. heidelbergensis and H. erectus) that migrated from Africa into Europe and Asia. It had long been thought that modern man descended from the European H. neanderthal, but genetic and fossil evidence has proven that that H. neanderthal is an extinct offshoot of the family tree. Genetic studies also led scientists to look to Africa for the source. The discovery of the skulls shows that H. sapiens coexisted with H. neanderthal for thousands of years, ultimately becoming the winner in the survival of the fittest.

Another significant discovery on the skulls is evidence of scraping and cutting marks made by tools. The marks seem to indicate that crania were purposely separated from the body and the flesh cut away. No skeletons have been found in the vicinity, either. These two factors have Dr. White’s team wondering if this early H. sapiens engaged in some sort of mortuary ritual or even cannibalism.

Guests

Tim White, professor of integrative biology at the University of California-Berkeley

Related Links and Resources

NPR’s “All Things Considered,” June 12, 2003: “Oldest Human Fossils Found”
National Science Foundation, June 11, 2003: “Earliest Homo Sapiens Fossils Discovered in Ethiopia”
“Science Friday” Kids’ Connection: November 8, 2002: Evolution—and Alternatives—in the Classroom
“Seattle Post-Intelligencer,” June 12, 2003: “A Look at Ancestors of Ours—160,000 Years Ago”

For Discussion:

• What is significant about the discovery of these skulls?
• What does “Homo sapiens” mean? Why was he given this name?
• What physical changes do you see over time in hominid development?
• What characteristics made H. sapiens successful?
• Why do you think the Neanderthals became extinct?
• What do you think it means that the heads have been found without bodies?

Activities

Caveman chronicles. The very best site for understanding human evolution is the British Broadcasting Company’s Walking With Cavemen, originally a four-part television series. The Human Evolution pages are a chronology of the various species. TV Programmes summarizes each episode and details the science and production stories behind them. In the

The Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History has a good Family Tree, and at Human Evolution: The Fossil Evidence in 3D (University of California-Santa Barbara) photographs of fossil crania can be rotated for three-dimensional examination.

Will the real human please stand up? NOVA Online’sNeanderthals on Trial, discusses the question of whether or not modern man descended from Neanderthals. At Dig and Deduce, kids take part in interactive Neanderthal digs. How Did Humans Evolve?, a PBS lesson plan, involves students in online activities that teach archaeology, evolution, and the process of deductive reasoning.

Genes and genealogy. Origins of Man, from the New York Times Learning Network, is a lesson in how archaeologists have used DNA testing to work out chronologies and trace early man’s migration from Africa to the rest of the world. You Try It: Human Evolution (PBS: A Science Odyssey) has an animated timeline and family trees and links to information about significant discoveries and innovations in archaeology.

The Life and Times of Early Man has a simply written summary of early man’s development, including a cheat sheet! The Ancient History Lesson Ideas page has a variety of activities, from reproducing cave art to creating a prehistoric community.

What’s in a name? Have students research the names of hominid species and ascertain why each one was given its particular name.

Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.

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