Fill in blank questions

Question 1

Quantifies the number of trapped electrons by measuring the amount of radiation absorbed. The amount of energy absorbed is measurable, with absorption amounts linked to number of electrons. The more electrons, the older the sample. This method is non-destructive and because the electrons are not released, the samples can be measured more than once.

Answer 1

Electron Spin Resonance Dating

Question 2

Uses the biological organisms found in rocks to correlate age between sites and across regions and thus to provide age estimates for fossils found at different sites.

Answer 2

Biostratigraphy

Question 3

A geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS) records the orientation of sediments from different intervals in the past. The time scale is based on a sequence of changes in the magnetism of ancient layers, or paleomagnetism that has been pieced together. The GPTS is divided into long intervals of similar polarity (normal [+] or reversed [-]) called chrons.

Answer 3

Geomagnetic Polarity Dating

Question 4

Radiometric technique using the decay of 40K to 40Ar in potassium bearing rocks; estimates the age of sediments in which fossils are found (like an oreo).

Answer 4

Potassium-Argon Dating

Question 5

Uses heat to free trapped electrons, which results in the emission of light. The emitted light can be measured, with the age being linked to light intensity. Brighter the light, the older the sample.

Answer 5

Thermoluminescence Dating

Question 6

The sample is exposed to UV light, which results in the sample emitting measurable light. The emitted light can be measured, with the age being linked to light intensity. Brighter the light, the older the sample.

Answer 6

Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating

Question 7

The accumulation of microscopic linear traces of radiation damage are used to date natural glasses (volcanoes kick out tiny pieces of glass). The linear traces are formed by the spontaneous radioactive decay of the Uranium-238 isotope.

Answer 7

Fission Track Dating

Question 8

Is the identification of a volcanic ash by its chemical fingerprint of major, minor, and trace elements. Chemical similarities make it possible to correlate different volcanic ashes to each other, and to the time of specific eruptions.

Answer 8

Tephrostratigraphy

Question 9

Uses the characteristics of the rock layers to correlate rock ages across regions.

Answer 9

Lithostratigraphy

Question 10

a) Anatomy: has no chin, has a prognathic face and a brain size of about 775 cc., b) lived between 1.8 - 2.1 million years ago, c) Range: Africa (fossils found in Kenya), d) made and used stone tools, and e) were discovered in the 1970s by the Leakeys.

Answer 10

Homo rudolfensis

Question 11

a) Anatomy: has no chin, has an occipital bun, has large supraorbital torus, significant midfacial prognathism, large nasal aperture, and a brain size of about 1,520 cc, b) lived between 40,000 and 150,000 years ago, and c) Range: Europe, Near/Middle East, Western Asia, Siberia, and d) their fossils are often found well preserved in caves.

Answer 11

Homo neanderthalensis

Question 12

a) Anatomy: has no chin, a sagittal keel on the top of the skull, has a bar-like supraorbital torus/brow ridge, and a brain size between 550 - 1,200 cc (average of 900cc), b) lived between 100,000 and 1.9 million years ago, c) Range: Africa, southern Europe, and Asia (fossils found in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Algeria, Georgia, China, Java, etc.), and d) an extremely successful species.

Answer 12

Homo erectus

Question 13

a) Anatomy: has no chin, has a prognathic face and a brain size of about 690 cc, b) lived between 1.4 - 1.9 million years ago, c) range: Africa (fossils found in Tanzania and Kenya), d) were discovered in the 1960s by the Leakeys, and e) made and used stone tools.

Answer 13

Homo habilis

Question 14

a) Anatomy: has no chin, has a thick/robust supraorbital torus/brow ridge, but arching rather than straight, midfacial prognathism, and a brain size of between 1,050 - 1,390 cc, b) lived between 150,000 and 600,000 years ago, and c) Range: Europe and Africa (and possibly also Asia).

Answer 14

Homo heidelbergensis

Question 15

a) Anatomy: has a well developed chin, lacks an occipital bun, supraorbital torus is not well developed, has small teeth, and a rounded forehead with a round cranial vault. The face is tucked under the cranial vault. An average brain size of 1,350 cc, b) first evidence of this species between 200,000 – 400,000 years ago in Africa, and c) Range: the whole world.

Answer 15

Anatomically Modern Homo sapiens

Question 16

a) Anatomy: has no chin and was a small bodied (64–100 lbs.), small brained (340–500 cc), bipedal ape, b) lived between 4.2 - 1.0 million years ago, and c) Range: Africa.

Answer 16

Australopithecus

Question 17

Being an Anatomically Modern Human (AMH) means that millions of years ago the first hominid species arose in Africa, and members of this archaic species evolved into the genus Homo approximately 2.8 million years ago (bipedalism, production of tools, brain enlargement, increased longevity, prolonged maturation, and advancing technology).

Answer 17

Paleoanthropological perspective

Question 18

For Anatomically Modern Humans (AMH), our most obvious differences from other animals are our intellect, speech, self-awareness, emotions, distinctive cultures, and our behaviors. All these differences are thought to arise from our unique brains (size, structure, and organization).

Answer 18

Social/philosophical perspectives

Question 19

Genetics has shown that Anatomically Modern Human (AMH) have essential physiological and physical components (heart, lungs, bones, brains, etc.) that have evolved from the genes of animals that preceded us (evolution = natural selection, genetic recombination, genetic drift, etc.).

Answer 19

Biological perspective

Question 20

This site in France has the oldest AMH skeletal evidence in Europe. The site dates to 51,700 - 56,800 years ago. Teeth from at least 7 individuals were recovered as well as stone tool evidence that connects AMH to both the Levant and Africa (same kind of AMH stone tools in all three regions).

Answer 20

Grotte Mandrin

Question 21

This is a waterlogged site with extraordinary organic preservation. There is evidence of a 60-foot-long tent-like structure (could have housed up to 30 people). Near the structure were two hearths with preserved charcoal that dated to ~14,500 years ago. Further evidence included preserved meat, firewood, wooden slabs, the burned tip of a long lance, rudimentary pebble tools used for scraping and cutting, 10 different species of seaweed, and biface fragments.

Answer 21

Monte Verde

Question 22

One of the sites that has some solid dates for the Americas is a site in Mexico. Excavations at the site discovered 1,900 stone tools of different types (points, scrappers, etc.). The artifacts were dated by 46 different radiocarbon samples of adjacent animal bones, charcoal, and sediment samples and gave a date range of 13,000 – 16,600 years ago. This date range would indicate that AMH had travelled to North America prior to the end of the Last Glacial Maximum.

Answer 22

Chiquihuite Cave

Question 23

This site in Israel has the oldest remains of AMHs outside of Africa (skull dating to ~55,000 years ago). The site had stone tools such as points, burins (chisels used for engraving or carving wood or bone), scalpels, blades, and scrapers have been recovered. Animal bone recovered from the site included deer, gazelle, horse, aurochs (wild cattle), hyena, and bear. AMH teeth have been recovered from different parts of the cave.

Answer 23

Manot Cave

Question 24

This sites indicates that AMH may have travelled from Siberia to the Americas pre-Last Glacial Maximum. The site has a long record of occupation by humans but the earliest dates to between 16,000 – 19,000 years ago.

Answer 24

Meadowcroft Rockshelter

Question 25

The oldest human remains in Australia were the cremated bones of a woman. The remains were dated to ~42,000 years ago. This makes the remains also the earliest ritually cremated remains found anywhere in the world.

Answer 25

Lake Mungo

Question 26

Human footprints dated to between 21,000 – 23,000 years ago were discovered in ancient lake sediments. Preserved grass seeds in strata above and below the footprints were dated using radiocarbon and provide the range of dates. These dates would indicate humans were in North America prior to the end of the Last Glacial Maximum.

Answer 26

White Sands National Park

Question 27

This site can be found on the Malaysian portion of Borneo. The oldest skeletal remains, "Deep Skull", was dated based both on 14C dates of charcoal in the strata with the skull and dates of the strata the skull was in using uranium-series dating. The result for "Deep Skull" was a date range of 39,000 - 45,000 years age.

Answer 27

Niah Cave

Question 28

Climate change is exposing northern sites once locked in permafrost. This site is evidence that AMH lived north of the Arctic Circle ~32,000 years ago. This showed that people had moved north when the ice retreated, prior to the Last Glacial Maximum, ~22,000 years ago. The very cold and wet conditions created fantastic preservation of organic materials like charcoal rich hearths. There was also hundreds of animal bones, ivory pieces, and numerous artifacts found at the site and indicates a sustained AMH settlement.

Answer 28

Yana Rhinoceros Horn