Origin of species

The direct evidence for studying the origin of human beings comes from fossils. Anthropologists use comparative anatomy to study all kinds of ancient ape fossils and human fossils and restore the ancient ape map.

By measuring their relative and absolute ages, we can determine the age of human fossils and roughly divide the evolutionary history of human beings into several stages. Geneticists, on the other hand, use the methods of biochemistry and molecular biology to study the differences and variation speed of protein and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) among modern humans, various apes and other higher primates, so as to calculate their respective origins and differentiation ages. At present, it is generally believed in academic circles that the time when apes became human ancestors was 7 million years ago. Judging from the discovered human fossils, human evolution can be roughly divided into the following four stages: (1) Australopithecus stage. The Australopithecus found lived from 4.4 million years ago to 6.5438+0 million years ago. According to the study on the anatomical characteristics of fossils, the most important feature of Australopithecus is that it can walk upright on both feet, which is different from apes. go-getter

(2) the stage of capable people. The first 2 million-the first 6.5438+0.75 million years. /kloc-fossils of homo habilis have been found in Tanzania and Kenya in East Africa since 0/960. The earliest possible life existed 6.5438+0.9 million years ago. An able person is classified as an able person below the human subject. Homo habilis has a bigger brain than Australopithecus, and can make tools (stone tools) from stones, and then gradually evolve into Homo erectus. (3) Homo erectus. Homo erectus belongs to Homo erectus in classification, referred to as Homo erectus, commonly known as Homo erectus. Homo erectus fossils were first discovered in Java, Indonesia in 189 1. At that time, there was also a debate about whether people were apes or not. It was not until the 1920s that Peking man's fossils and stone tools were discovered in Zhoukoudian, Beijing, that Homo erectus was established in the history of human evolution. Homo erectus lived about 6.5438+0.7 million years ago to over 200,000 years ago. So far, homo erectus fossils have been found in Asia, Africa and Europe. (4) Homo sapiens stage. Homo sapiens is generally divided into early homo sapiens (ancient homo sapiens) and late homo sapiens (modern man). Early Homo sapiens lived from 200,000 years ago to over 654.38 million years ago. The survival age of late Homo sapiens began about 654.38 million years ago. Its anatomical structure is basically similar to that of modern people, so it is also called modern people in anatomical structure. homo sapiens

According to the evidence of human fossils found so far, Australopithecus is the earliest known human.

Peter Ward, the author of Future: Future Evolution, speculates that with the deepening of integration, the appearance of human beings may tend to be unified in the future. He believes that human beings will eventually become the image of chocolate-colored hair and medium height, and all extreme features will disappear. He said that one thing that cannot be ignored in human evolution is genetic engineering. In theory, people can use genetic engineering technology to change their genomes. In the future, scientists may also discover genes such as intelligence, health, courage and longevity, and use them to "transform" future generations. Ward believes that people may use genetic engineering to "create" a new population. He said that humans can use genetic means to make their bodies smaller and more suitable for spacecraft flight, and they can also let people enter a "hibernation-like" state by inhaling hydrogen sulfide and spend a long "immigration" journey. Ward said that if a group of people are separated for a long time and do not intermarry with outsiders, a new population may arise.

Ward said that if a group of people are separated for a long time and do not intermarry with outsiders, a new population may arise.

"Of course, this is just a guess," he said. "The only possibility I can think of is to emigrate to another planet. ..... If we send some people into space and establish "colonies" on other planets, they may evolve in another direction in a completely different environment from the earth. "

It is difficult for humans to fly out of the solar system. "This means that we may never be able to build a home on another planet," Ward said, "but genetic engineering makes this dream possible."

He said that humans can use genetic means to make their bodies smaller and more suitable for spacecraft flight, and they can also let people enter a "hibernation-like" state by inhaling hydrogen sulfide and spend a long "immigration" journey.