How is the human hand a good example to theories of biological anthropology?

Question

I'm doing a 1500 word essay on this and I need some ideas on how the human hand can be seen as an example for evolution etc... eg. relate it to primates etc... but I'm really stuck for ideas....

I have to come up with some points under these subheadings.... my lecturer gave me an essay outline to complete..

-Biocultural approach

-Microevolution

-Macroevolution

-Comparative approach

Any anthro grads or students your help would be appreciated :)

Answer 1

The hand & wrist bones evolved considerably sometime after the split from the common ancestor of human & chimp. Early Homo erectus did not have the movement of wrist common to the more modern versions of erectus (800,000 yrs ago), neandertal & sapien. The precision grip of the more modern humans (modern erectus, neandertal & sapien) is due to a longer thumb with larger attatchments for the tendons that control the more advanced thumb. The link below gives a pretty good analysis.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/article...

Answer 2

When we were studying evolution and common ancestors in anthropology class, we looked at how the human hand can be easily used to show how far back we had common ancestors with other animals. For example, when looking at the bone structure of birds, whales, humans, primates and reptiles, we can see that all the same basic bone structures are there. Try looking up a picture in a textbook or online that shows these comparisons side by side. You notice alot, and it could spark some great ideas for your paper. I'm only a first year anthro student, so I can't go into as much detail as you'd probably like, sorry! Good luck though! Sounds like an interesting paper!

Answer 3

Just last night, I read that the Broca Region, which controls Speech in the human brain, is in the same location as the part of the brain which controls hand-movements in lower primates (But they don't have a Broca Region)...which implies that speech came out of a desire to express oneself through hand gestures, and why many people still do talk with their hands!

Answer 4

Well, it depends on whether you're studying human hands, or African hands; they are different in size and structure.

The African, whilst not strictly human, is probably a better study for you.

Answer 5

Oh, to understand the hand of man,

it happened so long ago.

Freedom came

and took away our fear.

To hammer and throw.

to trim and sew.

The key it seems to possible eternity.

How can it be

that it was all

just the want

or the need to be

as a bird in a tree.

Sorry, I felt the need of poetry.