Development and Lifestyle of Homo habilis

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Development and Lifestyle of Homo habilis

Living humans, over 7.4 billion of them, belong to the Homo sapiens classification. That fact illustrates that we originated from the same genus species. Homo means “Man,” and sapiens is our species means “wise.” Both fossil and genetic evidence show the beginning of the human species over two hundred thousand years ago in Sub-Sahara Africa. This paper will discuss the development of the earliest member of the genus that is Homo habilis (Pobiner et al.).

The current evidence indicates that the best candidate for the initial genus species in the humankind is H-habilis, a handyman. It is believed that Homo habilis inhabited a section of sub-Saharan Africa about 2.4 million years ago.

The species were so-called from fossils discovered in Tanzania; a place called Olduvai Gorge. The research was conducted by Louis Leakey and his team of researchers between 1959 and 1964; the discovery was a significant game-changer for paleoanthropology science since the oldest identified human fossils were Homo erectus, Asian specimens. Several characteristics of Homo habilis seem to be intermediate regarding the development of evolutionary between the moderately primitive Australopithecus and the more advanced Homo-species. The researchers identified new species based on the fossils’ anatomy that included huge body and brain and relatively small teach compared to their previously identified Australopithecus. Besides, they added something unique as far as species naming goes. The team linked the origin of particular behavior with Homo habilis, which suggested that the species was the creator of simple tool known as Oldowan stone discovered in the same alluvial layer way back. These simple stone knives where made of hammerstone roundish rocks. In late 1981, some animal fossils’ cut mark found at Olduvai Gorge were assumed to have been formed by Homo habilis, primarily used to butcher big animals. These characteristics made Homo habilis a meat eater and a toolmaker. These two novel behaviors help the team define humankind’s stage (Antón et al.).

The two novel behaviors narrative was held over 3 decades. In 1997, more human fossils categorized as simple stone tools were discovered in Ethiopia, the Gona study are. In the same period, a new upper jaw fossil of H.habilis portion was found at Hadar, an Ethiopian site, pushed this human species’ origin back to about 2.4mil years ago (Mithen). Another animal fossils’ cut marks made by stone tools were identified to be about 2.5mil years old. Some percussion marks were also placed on the animal bones, which was believed to humans smashing them with rocks to extra nutritious bone marrow. The new discoveries only strengthened the earlier research of large brains, eating meat, and stone toolmaking skills (Pobiner et al.).

The overall evidence of making stone tools and using them is about 500,000 years before our genus origin. Making such stone tools assisted the toolmaker to hunt and survive. The toolmaking skill is believed to have helped them access a wider variety of food and possibly improve food processing by making them edible while adding more calories. The marrow and meat-eating, the toolmaking skill helped them open up new food types rich in protein, calories, and fat.

In summary, the Homo habilis stage of humankind mark an essential turning point; these characteristics made Homo habilis a meat eater and a toolmaker, changed their lifestyle. They could make a nutritious meal rich in proteins, fat, and calories.

References

Antón, Susan C. et al. “(PDF) Evolution Of Early Homo: An Integrated Biological Perspective”. Researchgate, 2014, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263709870_Evolution_of_Early_Homo_An_Integrated_Biological_Perspective.

Mithen, Steven. Ethnobiology And The Evolution Of The Human Mind. 2006, https://www.jstor.org/stable/3803978?seq=1.

Pobiner, Briana et al. “The First Butchers – SAPIENS”. SAPIENS, 2016, https://www.sapiens.org/biology/homo-sapiens-and-tool-making/.

Wood, Bernard. Human Evolution: Fifty Years After Homo Habilis. 2020, https://www.nature.com/news/human-evolution-fifty-years-after-homo-habilis-1.14957. Accessed 17 Nov 2020.