The Experts below are selected from a list of 279414 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Chris Stringer - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Major transitions in Human Evolution
Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B Biological sciences, 2016Co-Authors: Robert Foley, Lawrence B. Martin, Marta Mirazón Lahr, Chris StringerAbstract:Evolutionary problems are often considered in terms of ‘origins', and research in Human Evolution seen as a search for Human origins. However, Evolution, including Human Evolution, is a process of ...
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Human Evolution: Out of Ethiopia.
Nature, 2003Co-Authors: Chris StringerAbstract:Newly discovered fossils from Ethiopia provide fresh evidence for the 'out of Africa' model for the origin of modern Humans, and raise new questions about the precise pattern of Human Evolution.
Bernard Wood - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Human Evolution: A Very Short Introduction - 9. The future of Human Evolution
Human Evolution: A Very Short Introduction, 2019Co-Authors: Bernard WoodAbstract:What are the next few decades likely to bring in terms of new evidence about Human Evolution? Are modern Humans still evolving, and if so, what changes are we likely to see? ‘The future of Human Evolution’ considers both of these questions. It explains that researchers will continue to look for additional fossil evidence, at existing fossil sites as well as in new locations. Both will provide valuable evidence. It considers the chances of finding new taxa and how more evidence can be squeezed out of the existing fossil record through improved molecular biology and imaging techniques. Finally, it looks at contemporary Human Evolution and what is likely to influence the future of our species.
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Human Evolution: A Very Short Introduction
2019Co-Authors: Bernard WoodAbstract:Human Evolution: A Very Short Introduction traces the history of palaeoanthropology from its beginnings in the 18th century to the very latest fossil finds. In this new edition it discusses how ancient DNA studies have rEvolutionized how we view the recent (post-550,000 years ago) Human Evolution, and the process of speciation. The combination of ancient and modern Human DNA has contributed to discoveries of new taxa, as well as the suggestion of ‘ghost’ taxa whose fossil records still remain to be discovered. Considering the contributions of related sciences such as palaeoclimatology, geochronology, systematics, genetics, and developmental biology, this VSI explores our latest understandings of our own Evolution.
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eLS - Human Evolution: Overview
Encyclopedia of Life Sciences, 2001Co-Authors: Bernard WoodAbstract:The fossil evidence for Human Evolution can be traced from close to 4.5 Ma to the present. The new term for modern Humans and the Human clade is ‘hominin’, which replaces the older name ‘hominid’. Keywords: australopithecines; homo; neanderthals; africa; Human origins
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Human Evolution: Taxonomy and paleobiology
Journal of Anatomy, 2000Co-Authors: Bernard Wood, Brian G RichmondAbstract:This review begins by setting out the context and the scope of Human Evolution. Several classes of evidence, morphological, molecular, and genetic, support a particularly close relationship between modern Humans and the species within the genus Pan, the chimpanzee. Thus Human Evolution is the study of the lineage, or clade, comprising species more closely related to modern Humans than to chimpanzees. Its stem species is the so-called 'common hominin ancestor', and its only extant member is Homo sapiens. This clade contains all the species more closely-related to modern Humans than to any other living primate. Until recently, these species were all subsumed into a family, Hominidae, but this group is now more usually recognised as a tribe, the Hominini. The rest of the review sets out the formal nomenclature, history of discovery, and information about the characteristic morphology, and its behavioural implications, of the species presently included in the Human clade. The taxa are considered within their assigned genera, beginning with the most primitive and finishing with Homo. Within genera, species are presented in order of geological age. The entries conclude with a list of the more important items of fossil evidence, and a summary of relevant taxonomic issues.
Laurent Excoffier - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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statistical evaluation of alternative models of Human Evolution
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2007Co-Authors: Nelson J R Fagundes, Mark A Beaumont, Samuel Neuenschwander, Francisco M Salzano, Sandro L Bonatto, Laurent ExcoffierAbstract:An appropriate model of recent Human Evolution is not only important to understand our own history, but it is necessary to disentangle the effects of demography and selection on genome diversity. Although most genetic data support the view that our species originated recently in Africa, it is still unclear if it completely replaced former members of the Homo genus, or if some interbreeding occurred during its range expansion. Several scenarios of modern Human Evolution have been proposed on the basis of molecular and paleontological data, but their likelihood has never been statistically assessed. Using DNA data from 50 nuclear loci sequenced in African, Asian and Native American samples, we show here by extensive simulations that a simple African replacement model with exponential growth has a higher probability (78%) as compared with alternative multiregional Evolution or assimilation scenarios. A Bayesian analysis of the data under this best supported model points to an origin of our species ≈141 thousand years ago (Kya), an exit out-of-Africa ≈51 Kya, and a recent colonization of the Americas ≈10.5 Kya. We also find that the African replacement model explains not only the shallow ancestry of mtDNA or Y-chromosomes but also the occurrence of deep lineages at some autosomal loci, which has been formerly interpreted as a sign of interbreeding with Homo erectus.
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statistical evaluation of alternative models of Human Evolution
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2007Co-Authors: Nelson J R Fagundes, Mark A Beaumont, Samuel Neuenschwander, Francisco M Salzano, Sandro L Bonatto, Nicolas Ray, Laurent ExcoffierAbstract:An appropriate model of recent Human Evolution is not only important to understand our own history, but it is necessary to disentangle the effects of demography and selection on genome diversity. Although most genetic data support the view that our species originated recently in Africa, it is still unclear if it completely replaced former members of the Homo genus, or if some interbreeding occurred during its range expansion. Several scenarios of modern Human Evolution have been proposed on the basis of molecular and paleontological data, but their likelihood has never been statistically assessed. Using DNA data from 50 nuclear loci sequenced in African, Asian and Native American samples, we show here by extensive simulations that a simple African replacement model with exponential growth has a higher probability (78%) as compared with alternative multiregional Evolution or assimilation scenarios. A Bayesian analysis of the data under this best supported model points to an origin of our species approximately 141 thousand years ago (Kya), an exit out-of-Africa approximately 51 Kya, and a recent colonization of the Americas approximately 10.5 Kya. We also find that the African replacement model explains not only the shallow ancestry of mtDNA or Y-chromosomes but also the occurrence of deep lineages at some autosomal loci, which has been formerly interpreted as a sign of interbreeding with Homo erectus.
Nelson J R Fagundes - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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statistical evaluation of alternative models of Human Evolution
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2007Co-Authors: Nelson J R Fagundes, Mark A Beaumont, Samuel Neuenschwander, Francisco M Salzano, Sandro L Bonatto, Laurent ExcoffierAbstract:An appropriate model of recent Human Evolution is not only important to understand our own history, but it is necessary to disentangle the effects of demography and selection on genome diversity. Although most genetic data support the view that our species originated recently in Africa, it is still unclear if it completely replaced former members of the Homo genus, or if some interbreeding occurred during its range expansion. Several scenarios of modern Human Evolution have been proposed on the basis of molecular and paleontological data, but their likelihood has never been statistically assessed. Using DNA data from 50 nuclear loci sequenced in African, Asian and Native American samples, we show here by extensive simulations that a simple African replacement model with exponential growth has a higher probability (78%) as compared with alternative multiregional Evolution or assimilation scenarios. A Bayesian analysis of the data under this best supported model points to an origin of our species ≈141 thousand years ago (Kya), an exit out-of-Africa ≈51 Kya, and a recent colonization of the Americas ≈10.5 Kya. We also find that the African replacement model explains not only the shallow ancestry of mtDNA or Y-chromosomes but also the occurrence of deep lineages at some autosomal loci, which has been formerly interpreted as a sign of interbreeding with Homo erectus.
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statistical evaluation of alternative models of Human Evolution
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2007Co-Authors: Nelson J R Fagundes, Mark A Beaumont, Samuel Neuenschwander, Francisco M Salzano, Sandro L Bonatto, Nicolas Ray, Laurent ExcoffierAbstract:An appropriate model of recent Human Evolution is not only important to understand our own history, but it is necessary to disentangle the effects of demography and selection on genome diversity. Although most genetic data support the view that our species originated recently in Africa, it is still unclear if it completely replaced former members of the Homo genus, or if some interbreeding occurred during its range expansion. Several scenarios of modern Human Evolution have been proposed on the basis of molecular and paleontological data, but their likelihood has never been statistically assessed. Using DNA data from 50 nuclear loci sequenced in African, Asian and Native American samples, we show here by extensive simulations that a simple African replacement model with exponential growth has a higher probability (78%) as compared with alternative multiregional Evolution or assimilation scenarios. A Bayesian analysis of the data under this best supported model points to an origin of our species approximately 141 thousand years ago (Kya), an exit out-of-Africa approximately 51 Kya, and a recent colonization of the Americas approximately 10.5 Kya. We also find that the African replacement model explains not only the shallow ancestry of mtDNA or Y-chromosomes but also the occurrence of deep lineages at some autosomal loci, which has been formerly interpreted as a sign of interbreeding with Homo erectus.
Miguel Arenas - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Selecting among Alternative Scenarios of Human Evolution by Simulated Genetic Gradients.
Genes, 2018Co-Authors: Catarina Branco, Miguel ArenasAbstract:Selecting among alternative scenarios of Human Evolution is nowadays a common methodology to investigate the history of our species. This strategy is usually based on computer simulations of genetic data under different Evolutionary scenarios, followed by a fitting of the simulated data with the real data. A recent trend in the investigation of ancestral Evolutionary processes of modern Humans is the application of genetic gradients as a measure of fitting, since Evolutionary processes such as range expansions, range contractions, and population admixture (among others) can lead to different genetic gradients. In addition, this strategy allows the analysis of the genetic causes of the observed genetic gradients. Here, we review recent findings on the selection among alternative scenarios of Human Evolution based on simulated genetic gradients, including pros and cons. First, we describe common methodologies to simulate genetic gradients and apply them to select among alternative scenarios of Human Evolution. Next, we review previous studies on the influence of range expansions, population admixture, last glacial period, and migration with long-distance dispersal on genetic gradients for some regions of the world. Finally, we discuss this analytical approach, including technical limitations, required improvements, and advice. Although here we focus on Human Evolution, this approach could be extended to study other species.
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Spatial and temporal simulation of Human Evolution. Methods, frameworks and applications.
Current genomics, 2014Co-Authors: Macarena Benguigui, Miguel ArenasAbstract:Analyses of Human Evolution are fundamental to understand the current gradients of Human diversity. In this concern, genetic samples collected from current populations together with archaeological data are the most important resources to study Human Evolution. However, they are often insufficient to properly evaluate a variety of Evolutionary scenarios, leading to continuous debates and discussions. A commonly applied strategy consists of the use of computer simulations based on, as realistic as possible, Evolutionary models, to evaluate alternative Evolutionary scenarios through statistical correlations with the real data. Computer simulations can also be applied to estimate Evolutionary parameters or to study the role of each parameter on the Evolutionary process. Here we review the mainly used methods and Evolutionary frameworks to perform realistic spatially explicit computer simulations of Human Evolution. Although we focus on Human Evolution, most of the methods and software we describe can also be used to study other species. We also describe the importance of considering spatially explicit models to better mimic Human Evolutionary scenarios based on a variety of phenomena such as range expansions, range shifts, range contractions, sex-biased dispersal, long-distance dispersal or admixtures of populations. We finally discuss future implementations to improve current spatially explicit simulations and their derived applications in Human Evolution.
