Human
hideA human is a member of a species of bipedal primates in the family Hominidae (taxonomically Homo sapiens—Latin: "wise man" or "knowing man"). DNA and fossil evidence indicates that modern humans originated in east Africa about 200,000 years ago . When compared to other animals and primates, humans have a highly developed brain, capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection and problem solving. This mental capability, combined with an erect body carriage that frees the forelimbs (arms) for manipulating objects, has allowed humans to make far greater use of tools than any other species. Humans are distributed worldwide, with significant populations inhabiting most land areas of Earth. The human population on Earth is greater than 6.7 billion, as of February 2009,
Like most higher primates, humans are social by nature. Humans are particularly adept at utilizing systems of communication—primarily spoken, gestural, and written language—for self-expression, the exchange of ideas, and organization. Humans create complex social structures composed of many cooperating and competing groups, from families to nations. Social interactions between humans have established an extremely wide variety of traditions, rituals, ethics, values, social norms, and laws, which together form the basis of human society. Humans are distinctive as a species on the Earth by having a perception of beauty and aesthetics at least to a point which results in a material culture. This, when combined with the desire for self-expression and a proportionally large brain-size, has led to innovations such as art, written language, music and science.
Humans seek to understand and influence the environment around them by trying to explain and manipulate natural phenomena through philosophy, art, science, mythology, and religion. This natural curiosity has led to the development of advanced tools and skills. Although humans are not the only species to use tools, they are unique in building fires, cooking their food, and clothing themselves; as well as using other advanced technologies. Humans pass down their skills and knowledge to the next generations and so are regarded as dependent upon culture.
For more information about Human, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
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News tagged with modern humans
Last Neanderthals died out 37,000 years ago
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Jan 27, 2010 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The last Neanderthals in Europe died out at least 37,000 years ago - and both climate change and interaction with modern humans could be involved in their demise, according to new research ...
Humans were once an endangered species
Jan 21, 2010 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City in the U.S. have calculated that 1.2 million years ago, at a time when our ancestors were spreading through Africa, Europe and Asia, ...
The deciding factor: Empathy distinguishes modern humans from their primate ancestors
Nov 30, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- What, exactly, distinguishes humans from apes? It’s certainly more than just our genes, renowned anthropologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy told a Harvard audience recently (Nov. 18).
'Hobbits' are a new human species -- according to the statistical analysis of fossils
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Nov 19, 2009 |
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Researchers from Stony Brook University Medical Center in New York have confirmed that Homo floresiensis is a genuine ancient human species and not a descendant of healthy humans dwarfed by disease. Using ...
Early modern humans use fire to engineer tools from stone
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Aug 13, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Evidence that early modern humans living on the coast of the far southern tip of Africa 72,000 years ago employed pyrotechnology - the controlled use of fire - to increase the quality and ...
Diet, population size and the spread of modern humans into Europe
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Aug 11, 2009 |
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Stable isotope data published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Erik Trinkaus, professor of anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, and Michael Richards of the University of Bri ...
Prehistoric Cold Case Hints of Interspecies Homicide
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Jul 20, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The wound that ultimately killed a Neandertal man between 50,000 and 75,000 years was most likely caused by a thrown spear, the kind modern humans used but Neandertals did not, according to ...
Prehistoric flute in Germany is oldest known
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Jun 24, 2009 |
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Excavations in the summer of 2008 at the sites of Hohle Fels and Vogelherd produced new evidence for Paleolithic music in the form of the remains of one nearly complete bone flute and isolated small fragments ...
Did modern humans eat Neanderthals?
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
May 18, 2009 |
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Modern humans may have eaten Neanderthals, scientists report in the Journal of Anthropological Sciences this month.
New analysis shows 'hobbits' couldn't hustle
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
May 06, 2009 |
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A detailed analysis of the feet of Homo floresiensis—the miniature hominins who lived on a remote island in eastern Indonesia until 18,000 years ago -- may help settle a question hotly debated among paleontologists: how si ...
High-tech tests allow anthropologists to track ancient hominids across the landscape
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Feb 12, 2009 |
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Dazzling new scientific techniques are allowing archaeologists to track the movements and menus of extinct hominids through the seasons and years as they ate their way across the African landscape, helping ...
Draft version of the Neanderthal genome completed
Biology /
Feb 12, 2009 |
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In a development which could reveal the links between modern humans and their prehistoric cousins, scientists said Thursday they have mapped a first draft of the Neanderthal genome. Researchers used DNA fragments ...
'Hobbit' fossils a new species, anthropologist says
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Jan 08, 2009 |
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An analysis of an 18,000-year-old fossil, described as the remains of a diminutive humanlike creature, proves that genuine cave-dwelling "hobbits" once flourished in Southeast Asia, according to a Long Island anthropologist ...
Study shows competition, not climate change, led to Neanderthal extinction
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Dec 29, 2008 |
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In a recently conducted study, a multidisciplinary French-American research team with expertise in archaeology, past climates, and ecology reported that Neanderthal extinction was principally a result of competition with ...
Late Neanderthals and modern human contact in southeastern Iberia
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Dec 09, 2008 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- It is widely accepted that Upper Paleolithic early modern humans spread westward across Europe about 42,000 years ago, displacing and absorbing Neanderthal populations in the process. However, ...
