The evolving story of human evolution | Melanie Chang | TEDxVictoria

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. We now know that Homo sapiens and Neanderthals shared the earth for at least part of our history - but what does that really mean?
In this talk Melanie Chang begins to piece together the evolving story of our own evolution.
Worldwide anthropology expert at the University of Victoria and Portland State University who focuses on Neanderthals.
www.pdx.edu/profile/dr-melanie...
TEDxVictoria takes place each year in Victoria, BC, Canada, and is Vancouver Island's largest TEDx event. This year marked the fourth year of the event, which saw more than 700 people gather at the century-old McPherson Playhouse for a full day of Ideas Worth Spreading based around the theme of Pursuit of Knowledge.
www.tedxvictoria.com
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@shriramvenu]

Melanie Chang is a brilliant science communicator! I hope more people like her speak up for science to the wider public

[@ericvega9160]

you got a thing for dog eating chang dude?

[@mynamemylastname7179]

would you like to buy some Magic Beans. You bought her FAIRYTALE STORY, so i have some MAGICAL beans for sale also.

[@paulrichards6894]

talking snakes and zombies leaving their graves is far more plausible

[@thomaspayne7617]

She did not hold back. Scientific communication at its best. Simplified the complicated, presented an interesting story, wonderful analogies and highlighted how ignorance persists in America. Loved it!

[@davidclaytonfreeman3306]

I was glad she inserted the rare admission that historically scientific fact is often overturned by newer evidence, methodology and/or theory. These are becoming less frequent either by resistance from establishment or ever increasing knowledge base. The internet and social media have reshaped us fatter than any single event in history, for better or worse. But science can now share ideas and findings as they're happening. Hopefully scientists are beginning to see this as opportunity rather than the old model of guarding info as a commodity to be hidden away until it can be revealed in effort to bring fame to the individual. Isn't that ironic as most science is funded by the taxes of all of us. I'll get it my soapbox but end by saying how exciting this new age of research is even for us laypeople.

[@hulldragon]

@@davidclaytonfreeman3306 I'm going to push back on the idea that scientists horde information. There may be some percentage of them that do, and possibly for some good reasons besides just self glory, but scientists, in general, seem quite willing to sharing information. Plus, at some point, their work needs to be peer reviewed if their findings are going to be taken seriously and the fame you claim they seek can be showered on them.

[@davidclaytonfreeman3306]

@@hulldragon yes to each his own opinion.

[@raysalmon6566]

I noticed she missed the part about Jesus saying that Adam and Eve were the first people...

[@thomosburn8740]

This is a favorite Ted Talk for me. Her enthusiasm and humor really sell it.

[@randyscott9034]

Love it! I’m a recent arrival to evolution and I’m trying to understand it and leave behind the superstition I grew up with as many of us did . We were brainwashed with fear !

[@Scorned405]

Christianity and Western religions are nothing but fear based

[@jeffreystieve3558]

She is not only bright, but an engaging and interesting speaker.

[@saviourjc]

professing themselves to be wise they became fools - "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" GENESIS 1:1

[@paulrichards6894]

hope you had your hands over your ears when she said dinosaurs and humans never co-existed

[@TranNguyenVungLay]

@@saviourjc When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity.
When many people suffer from a delusion it is called religion.
- Robert M. Pirsig

[@TisEYEthe1]

@@saviourjc We currently have Satellites that can see way back over 13 billion years towards the beginnings of our Universe, a time when Galaxies didn't even exist yet in our Universe, and only certain elements like Hydrogen and Helium existed. We now know exactly how Stars like our Sun were formed, and what all life on Earth is made of. *And that's by the way with our old Satellites like Hubble. The new version of Hubble (J Webb) makes Hubble seem like a payphone compared to a new iPhone. No need for God's, Demons, Ghosts, and Devils anymore. Now we just need Humans to finally get over their sense of entitlement and embrace their mortality just as we expect other animal's to do when we kill them to eat them.

[@baldybreaker]

What a great speaker that young woman is. She made the whole subject very interesting - and left me wanting to know more.

[@OldHeathen1963]

" I'm not even going to get into the stats on vaccine safety and climate change because that's just depressing " ~ Melanie Chang

[@OldHeathen1963]

You know it sister!

[@daieast6305]

@old heathen : it is even more depressing that people are talking about other than the importance of vaccines and climate change crisis

[@stanzavik]

I'm in love

[@anderscmwinther8952]

My first thought exactly

[@harrietharlow9929]

I really enjoyed this. The presenter is quite knowledgeable in the subject and is able to present the information in a concise, interesting style. We need MORE science communicators like her.

[@worldpeacepatriot9448]

This woman is such a delightful and intelligent teacher and communicator with a lovely smile thru out her presentation !

[@richardharris8538]

What an engaging speaker! I hope that she will provide another TEDTalk to update us on the progress that has been made since 2014.

[@Buschhhhhhhhhh]

If I just had 1 percent of her intelligence . I could carry out a dream of being a pilot . Yet I just drool through out the day . Dreaming . How do people not pass out while near her ? I could sit and listen to her speak over anything . Great speaker , teacher and entertainer .

[@kzinful]

She knocked it out of the park, what an excellent presentation. She had me at the IKEA catalog.

[@agabaabraham3638]

This is what it means to do what you have passion about, what a flawless science communication 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

[@johnburt7935]

I met someone once who was in every outward particular a perfect Neanderthal. It happens that I massaged his shoulders, and found that his bones were much thicker than anyone else's I'd ever felt (and being a massage therapist, I'd felt more bones than most people), which was also consistent with Neanderthal ancestry. He was a social worker, by the way. This was during a period when I had occasion to meet several, and he was the nicest and most empathetic.

[@ToddRickey]

Offshore archaeology really excites me because that is the location of the most ancient cities.

[@OldHeathen1963]

Yeah maybe one of those Neanderthal cities !

[@OldHeathen1963]

Yeah maybe one of those Neanderthal cities !

[@nickilovesdogs8137]

Wonderful presentation. Highly intelligent woman.

[@alanparedes2034]

I didn't think she was particularly intelligent.

[@kelseyharris892]

Dan Engle you can tell she spends most of her time in her logic center of the brain. Hard to explain just how I know this other than that I think and act similarly and it makes for being a bit socially oblivious. Kind of like being able to tell someone is high due to having been (or being) the same kind of high yourself. So intelligent may not be the right word, but you can tell she’s a nerd!

[@trickydick2909]

@@alanparedes2034 You don't get to be a PhD, let alone a nationally recognized one, without being highly intelligent. She's examined the raw genetic data and actually dug up fossils to research, but you don't agree with what she has to say so she must be a dum dum...

[@OldHeathen1963]

@@kelseyharris892 lol

[@daieast6305]

@nicki lovesdogs : no such thing as highly intelligent...

[@moyosoreatobatele8]

Awesome presentation! Well laid out with humor, but appeared the audience couldn't recognize the humorous phrases embedded in the talk. Good job!

[@berniemaopolski4870]

I know... right?!

[@krispalermo8133]

A quiet smirk is more socially accepted than a giggle or loud laughter. Humor varies within give social groups, men and women find different things to be funny. How can you tell the difference between someone "who" served in the military and who is Really a Soldier/ Sailor with a group of "civilians " The civilians and that guy who served in the military, don't get the joke.

[@daieast6305]

@moyosore atobatele : what did you find so amusing or humorous?

[@Jessica-kk1cz]

Mel speaks faster than most people can think. She always has. At least now that it’s on video, they can watch again and hear what they missed.

[@kca_randy]

That was one of my favorites from Ted.Awesome -Thanks for posting it

[@kennethbush2299]

Great presentation!!!

[@briemills9209]

Ms. Chang is awesome! Great lecture..

[@kennethbush2299]

I think she's endlessly fascinating

[@stiebingiii]

"simply speaking, of course, we know nothing about prehistoric man, for the simple reason that he is prehistoric" GK Chesterton -The Everlasting Man

[@anthindelahunt3955]

Great presentation.Thank you Melanie. Anthin.

[@johnlinden7398]

WOW, A VERY BRIGHT, INTERESTING AND ATTRACTIVE WOMAN , WITH A GREAT SMILE AND PRESENTS HER EVIDENCES AND IDEAS MOST EFFECTIVELY AND COHERENTLY ! BRAVO !

[@tonyincs]

I think I love her! Nice presentation!! Great content. A topic that need be addressed without prejudice.

[@alec2726]

Brilliant and a most enjoyable presentation!

[@JOSEVALDIVIESO]

Beautiful explained! Love her grace and intelligence!

[@waynemcleod6767]

Very good. Enjoyed this.

[@unstoppablezone4980]

The Rumsfeld quote is from Fernando Flores, a Chilean philosopher and ontologist, it is indeed profound but I doubt Rumsfeld understood why

[@mlasko74]

Neanderthals didn't go extinct, I've worked with many of them, and they can crack walnuts on their forehead 😁

[@NeoN-PeoN]

My gene lab showed I'm about 80% neanderthal

[@SiliconBong]

That IS a nice profile pic; subscribes.

[@frankmaldari9903]

Are you talking about my uncle Vincenzo?

[@upworkqureshi6665]

Darwinism is nothing more than fairy tale

[@alivewell2920]

@@NeoN-PeoN That's a lie. 1 to 4 percent isn't much but some will claim it's everything.

[@biggregg5]

Brilliant and adorable. Excellent combination.

[@Aurinkohirvi]

Drinking random wine by a campfire with her sounds real good. Where can I sign up? I can use a shovel.

[@janeokamura1755]

During my job working at a school I read a translation that was considered to be the earliest statement ever recorded, from the walls of a cave...it was translated to read, "Cro Magnon man sucks.."

[@worfoz]

I once found a postcard saying "Merry x-as and a happy 34.746 BC"

[@janeokamura1755]

I havent laughed like this in awhile...thanks you Funnyanderthals!!! :)

[@BlueCoreGamming]

Best Christmas Ever!

[@davidgould5708]

What an orator. Fantastic.

[@takster050974]

great lecture. Thanks for the good insides. 👍😳

[@RogerSnipes0]

that was incredible

[@cabbking]

Great mind, great speaker.

[@timpeters7852]

She is a really good competent speaker! Really enjoyed it

[@beautifulcatastrophe]

Awesome 👍

[@AmbiCahira]

I feel like most humans have a sense of kinship and friendship when they think of the neanderthal. Speaking of which, I once saw a teenager that had the facial bonestructure of a neanderthal! It made me do a double take and I know I stared because I couldn't believe how uncanny it seemed. Super cool!

[@krispalermo8133]

Some times at the Right Places, I yell ," It is True, the Missing Link Do Exist !!" Some people get the joke, others do not find it funny. Vanity and Pride are the worst human sins.

[@ericstephenson145]

Very interesting! I love the way our evolutionary history seems to be coming together more and more, with more gaps filled in every decade. I hope I'm around to see more people accept these scientific facts. So much anti-science sentiment in the United States currently.

[@daieast6305]

@eric gartenstiel : most of the content of this video does not matter much to everyday working people... facts are only facts until proven otherwise and science thrives on being proven wrong so scientists can delve further into their work providing more updated theories all the time.

[@mynamemylastname7179]

You mean you love how your evilutionary FAIRYTALE is coming together.

[@paulrichards6894]

you can't educate pork....the previous comment is a great example

[@harrietharlow9929]

@@daieast6305 I'm working-class. Are you saying that ALL working-class people are not interested in science? I am almost 70 and have been interested in science since my teens.

[@harrietharlow9929]

@@paulrichards6894 Sad, isn't it? The anti-science attitude in so many sectors of the US population is both saddening and dangerous.

[@Buschhhhhhhhhh]

She is the most amazing . Just think if everyone had such passion and love in their work . If she ever needs her equipment carried around . I'm here . I do windows also . 😂

[@Rico-Suave_]

Watched all of it, I think I watched this before maybe in another upload

[@alwayslearning3671]

A little disconcerting that so few have viewed this when videos of pseudoscience receive many more views. I sometimes wonder if our brains are branching into two groups with radically different perceptions of reality.

[@leojanuszewski1019]

Yes that IS what our brains are doing. Speech is thought. On one side we have those who suppress speech (i e. suppress thought) in favor of merely EMOTING at the world. And of course, emotion standing alone crowds out logic, reason, and concern for facts---indeed, emotion originates in the most primitive parts of our brain...the limbic system. The modern SJW resides primarily---sometimes exclusively---within that limbic system. This explains why democrats increasingly despise free speech, facts, and reason.

...following in the footsteps of the people across the isle.

[@dannydadog1987]

Good hypothesis. But this is dimilar to PR, at least on KZbin. Uneducated choose clickbait picture and title over something boringly invested in real science's scrupulosity. And then complain of being clickbaited. I watch both and more kinds, as i have more time due to sickness. The gap in knowledge/ intelligence depending on theme and popularity of vid in it's comments are astoundidng..😕✌

[@wwssviewer]

Right until the last sentence, I assumed you were writing about Republicans... you know, pro-creationism, anti-climate-change, anti-education, etc.. Care to reconsider your conclusion?

[@woddenbukkit1016]

@@wwssviewer oof hahahahaha. I concur.

[@ADGstudio]

A great public speaker...

[@conillet]

Melanie rocks.

[@mynamemylastname7179]

Yes, she is a rock.

[@rawtaa8591]

great that this was broken down it to simple teams even for someone like me understand

[@easywind4044]

Me think you funny!

[@daieast6305]

@@@easywind4044 : u b the most funny of all !

[@easywind4044]

dai east I don’t remember what I said. What did I say?

[@thetruthaboutscienceandgod6921]

Please share these brief videos with other people. Thanks!

[@stevehall4643]

Excellent video 😊

[@tradeeagle]

Great stuff .. thank you TED talks and thank you Melanie for making this a fun watch and learn .. still meandering offspring of the mating at issue are a joy to conjure when walking through the woods.. MediumFoot ..where are you ?

[@lawrencebird684]

Awesome!

[@kenbro2853]

she genuinely admitted we don't have access to real-life data, when it comes to evolution we are constructing a story

[@kenbro2853]

@Scientific Humanist we just need to follow the evidence

[@RockkandFolk]

Marcellin Boule* is the author of the monograph she speaks about

[@eyedee203]

The most impressive part of this, is that she didn't seem to use any notes or prompts .

[@johnmorrison337]

I enjoy TEDx Talks in general, but this is the best I've seen to date.

[@JuanHernandez-ry9dr]

There is nothing as beautiful as education based on science and common sense.

[@dcs74625]

👏👏You r superb in putting facts with a touch of humour

[@mynamemylastname7179]

There were no facts given just a FAIRYTALE story

[@quinnm.2314]

she is awesome

[@Chupilunatico]

Excellently done!!!

[@AtamMardes]

"The best cure for Christianity is reading the Bible." Mark Twain

[@kelvinham8576]

great talk, clear informative.

[@SteveDeHaven]

Neanderthals who raised ornamental flowering shrubs were called Oleanderthals.

[@janeokamura1755]

Hahahahaaa

[@johnty80-wj3ek]

excellent speaker

[@hannamakela6989]

Come for the accessible paleontology lecture, stay for the searing Donald Rumsfeld roast. ;) Seriously, very good talk. :)

[@ericprothero6845]

My known unknown of the day was the word @5:10 : Pertubation.

[@gdeach]

I dig smart chicks......and her boots

[@krispalermo8133]

I am 42 years old, and she made me feel like a love struck teenager, hard case crush of puppy love .

[@charbeltannios546]

Great 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@vgrof2315]

Very nice. A delightful lady. Made such good sense.

[@troydrury12]

She stated, "October 22, 4004 BC is printed in some editions of the Bible as the date of creation." Which edition of the Bible?

[@daieast6305]

@troy drury : i guess these days, folks do not have to actually read the bible to speak as an authority on it's content.

[@Leavemealonenowplz]

It’s Ussher Chronology. He was an archbishop in Ireland during the 1600s. He wasn’t the only person to try and calculate creation dates during era. Isaac Newton, for instance also tried. Some editions of the Bible from the time period have these dates printed, but not all, of course.

[@robertmcclintock8701]

A spy classifies himself. Whatever you desire they will help you with it. They gave me astrophysicist classification that I didn't ask for it but I like it. I'm not a scientist but I'm an artist. They wanted an astrophysicist that was an artist. It's perfectly normal for the people to think like an artist with a simple mind. It's science that new and has a complex mind that need expensive training.

[@walkergarya]

Artists do not have simple minds. They work hard to see what is unique about their interests. Art, it is sometimes said, is communicating emotion thrugh some medium.

[@robertmcclintock8701]

@@walkergarya thanks for not insulting me. Artists work is emotions in motion song by Billy squire. Your correct.

[@frankcastillo2855]

"I'm not even going to get into the stats on vaccine safety and climate change cause that's just depressing." We in 2022 wish we had your optimism, Dr. Chang.

[@Sommerchan]

Beauty and brain, a very powerful combination. Great lecture Ms Chang.

[@davidhollyfield5148]

I think Donald Rumsfeld's quote is quite profound and I think he picked it up in a Forum seminar as it's one of their catchphrases...

[@juliocasim4330]

I love science.

[@CGoldthorpe]

Ken Ham needs to see this!

[@jensraab2902]

Didn't Ken Ham say at the end of his debate with Nye that there's literally nothing that would change his mind? He's not open to any arguments.

[@earlefrost5512]

@@jensraab2902 When you begin with a pre-ordained, literally god-given (well, in his opinion...) conclusion, no facts will ever change your mind. Creationists start out with a belief, then try to make the data/observations/facts seem to support that belief - as well as trying with all their might to poke holes in other possible explanations. Convictions make convicts - hardcore belief systems harden your intellectual core so that the light of truth can't penetrate it.

[@Edruezzi]

@@jensraab2902 That's because scientific understanding is not his goal. Evolution is such a broadside at religion idiots like Ham have been forced to deal with it, however.

[@123movietrailersandclips6]

Truth should remain the same :)

[@vaska1999]

It does. It's our understanding of it that changes as the result of our evolving knowledge

[@earlefrost5512]

@@vaska1999 Perfectly said. Truth is, by definition, absolute. However, our knowledge and understanding will always be imperfect. Recently, most scientific endeavors bring us closer and closer to the Truth, but it is impossible that we could ever understand everything perfectly: we can only try to get as close as we can. THAT SAID, even "Truth" can change over time - for example, the rate at which the universe is expanding - called the "cosmological constant" has been found not to be constant, but accelerating: what was truth for one era, may not be true in a differnt era or context.

[@vaska1999]

@@earlefrost5512 Phenomena (such as the rate of expansion of the universe) can and do change over time, but what you've just described is a truth that remains constant.

[@perseoeridano4182]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@drainmonkeys385]

Just remember... Nebraska man was created using a single tooth..they constructed a complete skeleton based off of a single tooth.. later discovered to be a pigs tooth

[@eddyeldridge7427]

And it was disproven because it didn't fit with what we know of evolution.

[@microchannel377]

Interesting. Also, raises a question about what percentage of human to human intimacy happened with consent, and same question about human with neanderthal. Seems modern humans are likely more gentle and considerate, emotionally evolved that is.

[@kcrl1]

Rumsfeld was SECDEF not State.

[@WmGood]

Kreigsminister Rumsfeld is a weenie!!!!!!!!!!!

[@earlefrost5512]

He was a bleedin' warmonger!! His, and probably a lot of other wars, were started largely for profit.

[@henrylow449]

Intelligent consciousness of our souls drives evolution. Consciousness is the engine of evolution.

[@yveskratos3011]

Thank you Miss Chang. I admire your diligence and research. Extremely informative. I am a fan. Maybe someday I'll invest in your research.

[@agushll74]

She’s on Netflix Human: The World Whitin

[@troydrury12]

Science = observation History = documentation Darwinian Evolution = speculation (yes, if no one was around to observe it, it's speculative)

[@hammalammadingdong6244]

Troy Drury - was your great-great-great-great-great grandma born? No one alive ever saw it. It’s speculation.

[@troydrury12]

Hamma Lammadingdong actually, I know she was alive because it was documented in history and I believe it. But let’s say that we don’t have OBSERVABLE evidence that every single human is born from other humans. Even then, it doesn’t logically follow that my great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother was a fish.

[@troydrury12]

Hamma Lammadingdong by the way, I did not say that for something to be true, it had to observable by people loving today. And I’m not sure how you read that into what I clearly stated.

[@stanleycates1972]

Wonderful vivacious speaker

[@daieast6305]

i never even heard of dinosaurs when i was five but then in those days everybody had to work!

[@alabamamothman2986]

In other words, they make it up a they go along.

[@guyyoav]

Her remarks about vaccines and climate change hint that she knows the real nature of these theories. The fact is, she doesn't also she seems to be a very smart woman.

[@Tachyon1457]

What about the Denisovans??

[@zeke787]

im her nephew

[@myronsmith2114]

She is wasting her time studying these creatures that ate their own children hence extinction

[@Tachyon1457]

Ask her about Denisovans.

[@MountainMaid238]

@@myronsmith2114 Woah where did you come from lol

[@davemccullagh4297]

Zeke is a Greek name

[@mikefox3939]

@@davemccullagh4297 yes but the last name looks japanese

[@NeoWick_]

Would love to see her and Graham Hancock on the Joe Rogan show.

[@scienceexplains302]

Nitpick, but we live dinosaurs. They fly all around here. Some people have them in cages in their houses. They are one of humans’ favorite foods.

[@jeromegrzelak8236]

EXCELLENT SPKR

[@vgrof2315]

Super!

[@dougjstl1]

Do you like to give or do you like to reciprocate

[@Inertia888]

we like to ask questions. we like to ponder and think about the world and life around us. if all of the questions were answered life would be a very boring place.

[@easywind4044]

darrick steele At least we would have plenty of reading material.

[@younghove01]

Their is no reason to say 'civilian life' unless your a military veteran or active duty in the military. What does she mean by that anyways?

[@CharlesvanDijk-ir6bl]

The building of cities the definition of a civilisation. Before we had only cultures.

[@daieast6305]

@michael hoversten : yes, but when the usa became a military dictatorship everybody is working for war based economy, not only military members. so civilian life is almost ended and civilization is in crisis. yours might be a survival reaction to think 'military or no military' about everything, everywhere, and about everybody.

[@TabooRevolution13]

I argue in my book that their skull was superior to ours and I have a theory that we feared them for their intelligence and wiped them out for being in seclusion.

[@garymingy8671]

She speaking in public about a topic she cares about , is it the boots ? Or the delight in her face that you find appealing ? Btw good deeds and Goode works!