PBS NOVA: Becoming Human: Last Human Standing

"Last Human Standing." Becoming Human. PBS. Nova, n.p., 31 Aug. 2011. Television. 

As we know, we are the last human standing. But why?  What happened to all the others? Why are we the ones who

are the last humans standing? To answer these questions, some deep investigation needs to take place. But now, the 

answers are revealed. The key laid in Africa, the place where it all started. In the beginning, over 20 types of humans 

lived before us. Then came the Homo Heidi. They lived for many years. And then another species started to show up, 

the Neanderthals. They were more closer to us than the Heidi. But then scientists found something extraordinary,

a Neanderthal that was so close to us, he might have even spoken. This boy was called Skladina Boy, after the cave it's 

bones were found in.

     This was the time we started living. And now we are the only ones standing. To find out why, scientists need to go to 

the seaside, and the answer to this question was found on the seaside of France. The answer is we changed our diet.

The neanderthals ate only meat, so if there was lack of meat, the neanderthals would have nothing to eat and they would 

die out. So, we decided to change what we eat, and make our food opportunities broader. That means we ate more stuff

then our ancestors.  So slowly, one by one, our ancestors died out, and we are the last humans standing.

From Grunts to Grammar: The Evolution of Language

Miller, Jeanne. "From Grunts to Grammar: The Evolution of Language." Odyssey: Adventures in Science 

Oct. 2009: 34-36. Print. 

Language is a crucial part in our living. Half of the things we do includes language.

It is different to say "crocodile ate the man" and " The man ate the crocodile. But

when did we start using language?  Our ancestors had a smaller brain than us, but 

they are the ones who started something like speaking, but it was much less advance,

it was just a couple of words, and they didn't sound like this. We don't know if they

knew what they were saying. Something changed the way we speak and our ancestors way.

There is a part called the larynx, it is the top of our mouth. It changed. 

Taming Fire: The First Scientist?

 Cox, Mary Beth. "Taming Fire: The First Scientist?" Odyssey: The Adventures in Science Oct. 2009: 

     29-30. Print.

      This article talks about who and when started using fire. The answer to this question is hard to answer, but it is estimated that it started 250,000 years ago. At that time, people were afraid of fires. No one knew what it was. Some remains of objects which could be used to make fire were found in Europe. Hearths were found; hearths are rudimentary fireplaces, surrounded by a round rock ring. Hearth fires are higher temperature than wildfires.

   In the Swarkans caves, in South Africa, human remains were found together with burnt animal bones. These remains and bones are 1,000,000 years old. A large Hearth fire put these early humans to sleep, not a wildfire. Thi accident might have occurred, while they were cooking the meat. “ They may have known how to cook, but that doesn’t mean they could start a fire from scratch.”

On Our own Two Feet article

Whitt, Stephen. "On Our Own Two Feet." Oddysey: Adventures in Science Oct. 2009: 26-28. 

Print. 

As you most probably know, apes are our ancestors, because they walk on two feet. Well upright walking is very old. 

It started existing hundreds of years ago. As you might know, it was till not long ago a mystery are monkeys or apes 

and the answer turned out to be apes. But in all three skulls there is a little part called the foreman magnum which 

is used for connecting the brain to the whole body. In the mans and the monkeys skull it is in the back bottom right corner and 

in the center of the skull.