Australopithecines

Picture
As we said in the introduction, Humans are classified as "Primates". We are also classified as Hominids. A Homonid is a type of primate that has the traits of bipedalism, long lower limbs, and no tail. Some early Hominids are classified as Australopithecines. These Homonids were similar to apes but also very different. For instance, their brains were slightly larger, allowing them to take in there surroundings, and make sense of it. It is possible that some Australopithecines used stone tools.

This is the skull of an Australopithecines.

Homo Habilis

Picture
Homo Habilis lived about 2.4 million years ago. Homo Habilis had larger, more complex brains, rounder skulls, and flatter faces than the Australopithecines. They were scavengers that ate just about anything that they could find. It is also believed that Homo Habilis were the first Hominids to migrate from Africa.

Here is an Artist's representation of what Homo Habilis may have looked like.

Neanderthals

Picture
Neanderthals, or Homo Neandertahlais, were a more recent evolutionary relative of ours. Neanderthals took up the are now knows as Asia Minor or Eurasia. They lived about 230,000 years ago. 200,000 years later, they went extinct and nobody knows why. They had a larger and rounder face than humans do, however our skull is much more rounded. The neanderthals made clothing and simple tools. They were able to build fires, and for food, they hunted.

This is a picture of a full neanderthal skeleton.