Taking an ecological approach to our evolution, Clive Finlayson
considers the origins of modern humans within the context of a drying
climate and changing landscapes. Finlayson argues that environmental
change, particularly availability of water, played a critical role in
shaping the direction of human evolution, contributing to our spread and
success. He argues that our ancestors carved a niche for themselves by
leaving the forest and forcing their way into a long-established
community of carnivores in a tropical savannah as climate changes opened
up the landscape. They took their chance at high noon, when most other
predators were asleep. Adapting to this new lifestyle by shedding their
hair and developing an active sweating system to keep cool, being close
to fresh water was vital. As the climate dried, our ancestors, already
bipedal, became taller and slimmer, more adept at travelling farther in
search of water. The challenges of seeking water in a drying landscape
moulded
the minds and bodies of early humans, and directed their migrations and
eventual settlements.
In this fresh and provocative view of a seven-million-year evolutionary
journey, Finlayson demonstrates the radical implications for the
interpretation of fossils and technologies and shows that understanding
humans within an ecological context provides insights into the emergence
and spread of Homo sapiens sapiens worldwide.
