CARTA: The Savanna “Hypothesis”: Tracing an Enigmatic Idea Through Time

The savanna hypothesis suggests that early human ancestors evolved in open grasslands. Raymond Dart's 1925 discovery of Australopithecus africanus at Taung supported this idea. Lucy's 1974 discovery confirmed bipedalism in Australopithecus species but raised questions about their tree-dwelling habits. Studies since then have refined our understanding of ancient habitats and climates, showing that human evolution involved interactions with various environments, not just savannas. This requires a nuanced view of biomes, climates, and habitats to understand how early humans adapted and evolved. Recorded on 04/06/2024. [7/2024] [Show ID: 39819]
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[@darylwilliams7883]

I was taught the savannah hypothesis way back in the 1970's as an undergraduate in science. It may still have some merit, but it was pretty simplistic given the nature of the environment millions of years ago, and the variations in human anatomy that have since been found.

[@tonnyvreeswijk5539]

where can I find papers about the hypothesis of the use of hands for carrying tools leading to bipedalism?

[@MossyMozart]

Did you check Google Scholar?

[@wesleyhobbs2332]

Interesting..... well with recent discoveries from ground pen sats, we now know Africa Sahara was really a jungle with lakes bigger than the Great Lakes as recent as 20,000 years ago, and reason to believe all of Africa was heavy jungle possibly rain forest until the last Ice Age, how do you reconcile these?

[@dianahill5116]

Palm trees are not trees.

[@moonshoes11]

Trees are not trees.

[@dianahill5116]

@@moonshoes11 Do your own research.

[@ericsonhazeltine5064]

It’s interesting to see Osborn referring to the aristocracy of man … since he came from a pretty hoity-toity family himself.

[@NSBarnett]

Why does CARTA seem to shy away from the aquatic hypothesis, not just in choice of conference themes, but individual speakers do, too, in their lectures?

[@NSBarnett]

Thanks @@nomadpurple6154 ; are you part of, or connected to, CARTA, or are you speculating on their reason? I mean, if what you say is true, it doesn't follow that it is their reason; they may have a different one, or a handful of reasons, including that one.

[@MarcVerhaegen-xf8pe]

🙂 Miocene Hominoidea were already bipedal: gibbons still walk upright over branches, and all great apes occasionally wade bipedally in forest swamp, e.g. lowland gorillas wade for sedges, bonobos wade for waterlilies, google "GondwanaTalks Verhaegen English". Modern insights (comparative anatomy, physiology … DNA + retroviral data, fossils, plate tectonics …) in why/where/when hominoids evolved, google e.g. "aquarboreal", "Vaneechoutte 2024 Australopithecus".

[@AnamKinsey]

What is the survival strategy of a group of small, clawless, hominins who have a slow elder, slow pregnant woman, slow mother with baby and slow children? It is irrelevant if they walked on 2 or 4 feet. How did they defend themselves, in any scenario without trees, tools or fire? Try to figure that out before postulating poorly thought out "Grassland/Savannah' type theories.

[@myparceltape1169]

Have you ever watched African children moving after a grass fire? They are having fun, dancing about with thin pieces of wood stabbing the small animals which are revealed. Once I saw a mouse eaten whole as they went along. You can only do that if you can stand and move upright. Children's bodies are far lighter than adults but adults control them. Look for signs of cooperation. That is how the heavier, slower adults follow the herd of grazers and isolate the weakest one. It's called "hunting".

[@ianwilson8759]

You make fun of all these old guy's ideas: scorn them, mock them, come up with your woke "witticisms" (not really) and then you offer us nothing new. All very convenient with the advent of hindsight, but really - at least they had a go. You don't offer us anything new and probably can't.

[@ChitwoodMitwood]

In one of my many past lives I remember my parents were the first bipedal people, we were laughed at by all of the others

[@stavroskarageorgis4804]

This is not a good speaker.

[@phill6159]

Her attitude ruins everything she says.

[@markketchum5765]

Unlistenable. Sounds like she’s out of breath and rushing to get the words out.

[@myparceltape1169]

She might be. How well could you carry that off? You might want to offer your services.

[@krishnamohan1065]

We Hindu s always knèw that evolution took place and

[@stevenkanzler2319]

Hahahaha

[@jeffbybee5207]

And what?

[@krishnamohan1065]

There are many hymns that clearly say so

[@factchecker9358]

It's nice to know there are still a few sciences where disagreement is allowed, unlike agenda climate change with a politico declaring debate has ended, and getting a Nobel Prize for that.

[@mozhgansavabieasfahani7560]

You seem to know stuff. So, why are you so nervous? It ruins your presentation.