Ishmail R.

Coleman 1-28-13 Abstract 2

In Chapter 12 (titled A Balanced Perspective) of The Wisdom of the Bones: In Search of

Human Origins by Alan Walker and Pat Shipman, the main focus was on how brains and diet are

an important part of ecological adaptations for Homo erectus (pre and post Homo erectus). Also

the chapter focuses on bipedalism, and how the new locomotion affected the species, causing

changes in diets and living conditions. Bipedalism is a unique form of locomotion on two feet

found in humans and their ancestors. By studying bipedalism and the vertebrae column of our

ancestors, anthropologists are able to look for changes from the primitive ape-like conditions.

These adaptations in relation to posture have an effect on how primitive ancestors dieted,

subsisted, and escaped predators. Furthermore, this chapter elaborates on how humans differ in

the amount of vertebrae as oppose to apes, using the 20 million year old ape specimen named

Proconsul as evidence, having six lumbar vertebrae (humans have 5).

The second half of the chapter elaborates on methods used to examine fossils and skills in

order to obtain better data about bipedalism adaptations. Tomography or CT scans were used to

examine fossils and modern primate skulls without inflicting damage. Tomography specifically

is techniques for making detailed X-rays of a predetermined plane section of a solid object while

blurring out the images of other planes. These methods helped toward the research of being able

to tell differences within hominids. Factors such as brain size, jaw size, complex tools all

determine which categories a specimen would fall under. All of these various observations and

methods draw us closer in our research to see similarities and differences between us and our

ancestors.