Biological anthropology

One of the advancements that took place during the Upper Paleolithic period was the development of modern language. In the film, it has been argued that humans have talked among themselves silently. There is a contention that all animals including apes from which humans are believed to have come ascended from do think and communicate to each other. Also, there were also traces of the use of blade tools which allegedly paved the way for the development of modern tool industries. These advancements have helped the H Sapiens modernize themselves in such a way that would cause the “ re-envisions” of human origins paving the way for advent of the so called “ modern humans” (Jurmain et al., 8). H. Sapiens was able to outcompete and survive than the Neanderthals because the Neanderthals were not wise enough to adapt to cultural and physiological advancements. Although the Neanderthals’ brains can be compared to that of H. Sapiens and of a modern man but their brains were solely focused on the needs of their massive bodies, leaving them unable to think logically on how they could innovate and survive as species.
The case of the Neanderthal is more physiological than cultural: because they used their brains to identify the needs of their bodies, intercommunication was never part of their exercise and could have caused their extinction. During the Ice Age, H. Sapiens were more clever enough to speak complicated languages and build operations far from their locations but the Neanderthals were limited in these aspects.
2. According to the textbook, the biological definition of race is a population with individuals that have defining and measurable biological descriptions with an Fst of at least 0. 25 virtual to other populations of the species. Among Humans, however, the Fst is only 0. 17. This goes to say that Homo Sapiens do not have biological races. Furthermore, there is also no way to look at the genetic cards and identify race. Race, in my opinion, is just a matter of personal view. If you can certainly believe that you can categorize humans into groups based on their colors – whether it is a shade of brown or black or white – then that is a matter of personal standpoint. Nevertheless, categorization of humans based on color does not guarantee accuracy and uniformity among all people: how would you be able to distinguish an African person to an Australian aborigine? There is not enough variation in human population that could be used as basis for classifying humans into races or subspecies, much less, if there really is one. I do not agree with the concept of race in general.
3. The US falls under the 12 – 14 bracket. There are socioeconomic and health implications involved in this regard: girls from higher economic status tend to mature earlier. This means that girls would become more active in terms of relationships and sex, causing the lowering age of teenage pregnancies. Also, because the age of menarche, the aging accelerate causing accelerated aging among individuals in this bracket, including that of the United States (Jurmain et al 358). There are many implications to the lowering age of menarche among girls in the United States: (1) earlier menarche and later menopause are associated with the higher risk of developing breast cancer and endometrial cancer (Mishra et al. 175). The consequences are largely health-related and decently on the aspect of socioeconomic status. The falling age of menarche was linked to the lowering socioeconomic status. Early pregnancy and overpopulation are often results of fallen age of menarche: teen pregnancies are on the rampant and overpopulation and illiteracy rate increase.
4. There is good news, Jurmain et al has concluded. While there the growth of world population continues, the rate at which the population increases has rather slowed down (376). Jurmain et al write, “ it is a common knowledge among economists that as income and education increase, family size decreases, and as child and infant mortality decrease, families have fewer children.” The changing knowledge of humankind has caused so many changes in the way humans deal with life: people have become more educated and learned on how to systematically contend with life including building a family, career, and future. Generally, humans are headed off in a quite positive future.
Work Cited
Jurmain, Robert et al. Essentials of Physical Anthropology. 9th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning,
2012. Print.
Mishra, Gita D et al. (2012). Early Life Circumstances and their Impact on Menarche and
Menopause. Women’s Health, 5(2): 175-190.