FACT
In Grade 12 you
will learn study in
great detail the
course of human
evolution to gain a
firm understanding
of how we evolved.
For Grade 10, we
will learn some of
the significant
changes that have
occurred in our
species in Africa
over the last four
million years.Coenozoicera (65 million years ago to present) DUMMY
Ifthe Mesozoic was the ”age of dinosaurs”, then the Coenzoic has been the ”age of mam-
mals”. The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event occurred towards the end of the Mesozoic
era and half the animal species on earth, including the dinosaurs were wiped out. As a result
mammals diversified to fill ecological niches.
- The continents moved into their existing locations, with Australia-New Guinea having
split from Gondwana during early Cretaceous, drifting north and eventually colliding
with South-east Asia. Antarctica moved into its current position over the South Pole and
the Atlantic Ocean widened and South America became attached to North America. - 54–33 million years ago, Africa was an island, not yet joined to the Middle East and
Europe. - The climate warmed significantly until 55 million years ago, followed by long-term
cooling since 49 million years ago. - Many species of grass evolved from flowering plants between 33 and 24 million years
ago. - As the Earth cooled, grasslands began to expand and forests shrank.
- Animals evolved to fit the new, open landscape and many fast-running prey and preda-
tor species arose as a result.
It is during the Cenozoic Era that our species,Homo sapiensevolved into the anatomically
modern humans we are today.
Theevolution ofHomo sapiens: evidence from Africa DUMMY
Humansare thought to have evolved from their ape-like ancestor over the last 6 million
years. Human evolution has involved changes in physical appearance and behavioural traits.
Some important physical developments include bipedalism, and a larger, more complex
brain. Behavioural characteristics involve the ability to use fire and make and use tools and
the ability to communicate by means of language.
The most widely accepted theory of how anatomically modern humans evolved, suggests
that homo sapiens evolved in Africa approximately 200 000 to 150 000 years ago in what
has now become known as the ”Out of Africa” theory. Some of the evidence for the key
events as found in Africa is shown in the table below.
Human ancestors evolved and migrated out of Africa in a series of ’waves’.
Chapter 11. History of Life on Earth 329