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Sep 1, 2014 · September 1, 2014. 16 min read. What Makes Humans Different Than Any Other Species. The capacity to engage in shared tasks such as hunting large game and building cities may be what...
- Gary Stix
Jul 6, 2015 · In recent years, many traits once believed to be uniquely human, from morality to culture, have been found in the animal kingdom (see part one in this two-part series). So, what exactly makes us...
Oct 19, 2023 · What characteristics (physical, emotional, philosophical) actually define us as another species on this planet? Is there some secret spark that makes us special? Let’s put our brains to the test and take a closer look.
- 4 min
- Speech. No one enjoys a good gab session like humans. But why can't apes, our closest living relatives, talk like us? After all, the shape and function of the larynx and vocal tract are fairly similar across primates, comparative studies have found.
- Upright posture. Humans are unique among primates because our chief mode of locomotion is walking fully upright. This way of moving frees our hands up for using tools.
- Nakedness. We look naked compared with our hairier ape cousins. Surprisingly, however, a square inch of human skin, on average, possesses as many hair-producing follicles as a chimpanzee's (Pan troglodytes) skin, a 2018 study in the Journal of Human Evolution found.
- Clothing. Humans may be called "naked apes," but most of us wear clothing, a characteristic that makes us unique in the animal kingdom. Chimpanzees have been documented adorning themselves with items — one wild chimp wore a knotted skin "necklace" made from the leftovers of a slain red colobus monkey, a 1998 report found, while a captive chimp in Zambia started wearing grass "earrings" that she had draped over her ears, a fashion trend that spread to her fellow chimps — but these adornments didn't protect or insulate the chimps from the elements like human clothes do.
- Walking Upright. The earliest humans climbed trees and walked on the ground. This flexibility helped them get around in diverse habitats and cope with changing climates.
- Tools & Food. Early humans butchered large animals at least 2.6 million years ago. By at least 500,000 years ago, early humans made wooden spears and used them to kill large animals.
- Bodies. As early humans spread to different environments, they evolved body shapes that helped them survive in hot and cold climates. Changing diets also led to changes in body shape.
- Brains. As early humans faced new environmental challenges and evolved bigger bodies, they evolved larger and more complex brains.
Sep 7, 2024 · There are multiple theories about what makes us human—several that are related or interconnected. The topic of human existence has been pondered for thousands of years. Ancient Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle all theorized about the nature of human existence as have countless philosophers since.
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Mar 20, 2024 · The characteristics of all living things result from the pressure of natural selection on their ancestors as they confronted challenges to their survival and reproduction. This fundamental Darwinian insight applies to us.
