4.2: Introduction to Paleoanthropology
- Page ID
- 130014
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- 4.2.1: Paleoanthropology
- Paleoanthropology, a subdiscipline of anthropology, is the study of extinct primates. While the majority of researchers doing this kind of work are anthropologists, paleontologists (within the discipline of geology) may also study fossil primates. The primary method used by paleoanthropologists is the analysis of fossil remains. However, they increasingly rely on other scientific disciplines to gain a better understanding of the environmental forces that played a role in our evolution.
- 4.2.2: What is a Hominim
- We are hominins, as are all those bipedal apes that came before us. Hominin species have evolved through time, some of which we are descended from and some that are side branches in our tribal tree!