How we evolved remains an unanswered question. Ultimately, what were the initial steps in the evolution of humanity? Why did we evolve in this direction rather than another? Why do we exist at all? In our evolutionary process, could we have taken different paths for development? Will we continue to evolve in the future?…
10 Major Questions About Ancient Humans Yet to Be Officially Answered by Scientists.
10. Why Do We Have a Larger Brain?
There is no doubt that a larger brain has given humans a significant advantage in this world. However, maintaining normal brain function comes at an extraordinary cost. The brain accounts for only 2% of body weight, yet it consumes 20% of the body’s energy. Up until 20,000 years ago, relative to body size, our ancestors’ brains were not significantly larger than those of monkeys or apes.
So what caused our brains to grow larger? One possibility is that brain development allowed our ancestors to create better tools. Another reason could be that a larger brain facilitated communication among humans. Additionally, constantly changing environments may have forced our ancestors to adapt by evolving larger brains.
9. Why Do Humans Walk on Two Legs?
Before our ancestors learned to use stone tools or evolved into beings with larger brains, humans were already standing upright on two legs. But the question remains: Why did humans evolve to stand upright on two legs while our relatives still use all four limbs?
Scientists suggest that as a bipedal species, walking might conserve energy compared to using all four limbs. The freeing of the hands allowed our ancestors to conveniently carry food. The upright posture may also help humans retain heat and reduce skin exposure to the sun.
8. Where Did Human Hair Go?
Compared to our hairy relatives, the human body appears unique. Why did we develop in this way? One explanation is that when our ancestors traversed the hot African savannah, shedding body hair was an effective way to cool down.
Another explanation is that reducing body hair helped decrease parasites and other infectious diseases. An even more extreme view is that our ancestors, living in or near water, evolved to lose their hair, while aquatic mammals still retain a layer of fur for protection.
7. Why Are Most of Our Relatives Extinct?
About 24,000 years ago, the “smart” Homo sapiens were not the only species existing in the world. Our closest “relatives,” the Neanderthals, had not yet completely gone extinct. In Indonesia, evidence of the “Hobbit” people, a branch of humanity, suggests they may have survived until around 12,000 years ago.
Why did they go extinct while our branch still exists? Was it due to some infectious diseases or harsh environmental conditions? Or were “advanced and noble” humans responsible for eliminating those less developed?
6. Are Humans Still Evolving?
Recent discoveries indicate that humans are not only still evolving but are doing so at an accelerated pace. Since the advent of agriculture, human evolution has progressed at a rate over a hundred times faster than the average throughout history. Some scientists disagree with this view.
They argue that the data is insufficient to determine whether the genes that give us adaptive capabilities have actually increased. If human evolution is indeed accelerating, we should ask why. Food and disease will compel humans to change behaviors and habits.
5. What Are the Hobbits?
The Hobbits – a small human species discovered in 2003 on the island of Flores in Indonesia. So, can a species that has genuinely gone extinct be referred to as the Flores people? Are those bones actually from deformed Homo sapiens?
Are they a separate branch of humanity that went extinct? They might be similar to chimpanzees, but diverged long ago. Answering this question could deepen our understanding of the fundamental evolutionary processes of humanity.
4. Why Do Modern Humans Originate from Africa?
About 50,000 years ago, humans began to spread beyond Africa, reaching every corner of the globe (except Antarctica), including distant islands in the Pacific. Some scientists speculate that this migration may be related to a genetic mutation.
This mutation altered our brains, leading humans to seek change and modernization, which granted us the ability to use more complex languages and tools, establish societies, and create human art. Another more widely accepted view is that behavioral changes and modernization began early, before humans left Africa, as the population density in Africa became too high, forcing humans to seek new lands – thus, the human revolution began.
3. Did We Interbreed with Neanderthals?
Did our species only interbreed within its own line? Is there DNA from our relatives in our bodies? Some scientists speculate that the Neanderthals may not have gone extinct but were assimilated by us.
2. Who Was the First Primitive Human?
Scientists have discovered many bipedal animals that could be considered primitive humans, including the direct ancestors of humans or their relatives. Researchers are trying to identify the earliest primitive human to answer many concerns about human evolution: How did the adaptation process occur to bring humans to their current state, and what developmental milestones took place?
1. Where Do Modern Humans Come From?
The most controversial issue in current science is where modern humans originated. The “Out of Africa” hypothesis suggests that human evolution began in Africa before spreading worldwide, leading to the extinction and replacement of other hominid species (similar to how Europeans assimilated and exterminated Native Americans in recent centuries).
The “Multiregional” hypothesis posits that humans in various regions evolved independently, gradually growing and interbreeding across nearby areas, sharing genetic traits and leading to the emergence of humanity. Currently, the “Out of Africa” view remains dominant, but supporters of the “Multiregional” perspective continue to uphold their beliefs about the emergence of modern humans.
