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A Common Denominator -- Anthropology Update (November 19, 2004, Two)

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Program Summary

In mathematics, the least common denominator of two or more fractions is the smallest whole number that can be divided by each fraction’s denominator. In human evolution, it’s Pierolapithecus catalaunicus, a 13 million-year-old fossil hominid recently discovered in Spain that may be the last common ancestor of all great apes and, thus, humans.

The new species displays characteristics of modern great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans) that have not been found in earlier primates, such as a stiff lower spine, short body, and strong, flexible wrists, indicating that Pierolapithecus was the first to be able to pull itself into a standing position and climb a tree vertically. Yet it retains the shorter hands and fingers of lesser apes (gibbons, siamangs) and monkeys, meaning that it had not yet developed the ability to hang and swing from tree to tree. (Apes diverged from monkeys about 25 to 20 million years ago, losing their tails in the process. Great apes and lesser apes split approximately 16 to 13 million years ago.)

Pierolapithecus lived during the Miocene era, a period when Spain and other parts of Europe were covered with tropical forest. During the Miocene, however, the Earth’s climate cooled and dried out, with rainforest being replaced by grassland, desert, and tundra. As the rainforests receded, European apes migrated with them back to Africa, where they evolved into us. The Miocene era also saw the continents and oceans form their modern-day configurations and changing ocean currents lead to the build up of ice-covered Antarctica.

Guests

David R. Begun, professor in the department of anthropology at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Related Links and Resources

National Geographic News, November 18, 2004: Ancient Ape Discovered - Last Ape-Human Ancestor?
NewScientist.com, November 18, 2004: “Not All Great Apes Were Swingers”
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History: Geologic Time: The Miocene
University of California at Berkeley Museum of Paleontology: The Miocene Epoch

For Discussion:

• What is important about the discovery of Pierolapithecus catalaunicus?
• What are the physical features that connect it to modern great apes? What are its more primitive features?
• What did the new features allow it to do?
• What is controversial about Pierolapithecus being found in Europe?
• How did climate change and continental drift affect the development of mammals during the Miocene era?

Activities

Monkey business. Get into the swing of things at the Smithsonian’s Human Ancestors Hall: Our Primate Origins. Learn how monkeys and apes evolved, explore the difference between hominids and early humans, take an anatomy lesson, and send a question to a researcher. The Resource Guide to Paleoanthropology summarizes each section of the site.

My, oh, Miocene. Take a walk through Miocene prehistory at the BBC’s Walking with Beasts.The Evolution Game is a challenging experience in survival. The Miocene era is one small part of the Age of Mammals, so be sure to visit the eras before and after, then move on to Walking with Cavemen to continue the human story.

Deep thoughts. Get an overview of the Miocene epoch at the Deep Time page of Evolution from PBS. This an extensive site that touches on many aspects and issues of evolution; interactives, videos, games, and teacher materials and online lessons are invaluable study tools.

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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