On Humans Can We Tell a (True) Story of Human Origins? Live from UC San Diego
Nov 24, 2025
Explore the fascinating debates surrounding human origins, where a single accessible story might emerge. Delve into the paradox of why humans exist at all, and the evolution of primates from post-dinosaur mammals. Discover how tree-dwelling shaped prolonged childhoods, and the trade-offs of bipedalism. Hear about the importance of community caregiving and the role of nutrition in brain development. Finally, reflect on the unresolved questions of language origins amidst the story of our evolution from early primates to Homo sapiens.
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Bipedalism Reshaped Hominin Biology
- Bipedalism evolved as a complex adaptation with multiple benefits for moving in open landscapes.
- Walking upright reshaped anatomy, creating new costs and opportunities for hominins.
Costs Of Upright Posture For Children
- Upright posture created narrower hips, loss of infant clinging, and greater injury risk, worsening childhood vulnerability.
- These costs made long, energy-intensive childhoods and large brains seem highly risky.
Healed Fossil Suggests Social Care
- The fossil KNM-ER 2596 had a healed ankle fracture, implying care from others for survival.
- This example supports the idea that hominins received social help during recovery.