Scientists have long been puzzling over the riddle: why did the brain volume of our ancestors double in the interval between 1 million years ago and the present?
At the Calpe conference, one of the leading experts in the field of human origins, Doctor of Paleoanthropology Ian Tattersall from Yale University (USA) and Doctor of Biology from Cambridge University (UK) Andrea Manica put forward their versions.
IN SEARCH FOR A BETTER CLIMATE
“Due to the fact that the climate has changed dramatically more than once, our ancestors had to conquer new territories in order to survive,” explained Dr. Manika. “Without the help of the climate that warmed us and the plants that fed us, we would never have spread throughout the planet. But when resettling, people ran into the so-called natural barriers.
The scientist recalled that Homo sapiens appeared in Africa about 200 thousand years ago, but left the "cradle of mankind" only after 130 thousand years. He found himself in an African trap because of the impenetrable desert of the Arabian Peninsula. Only about 70 thousand years ago, it finally began to rain more, and our ancestors went beyond the borders of the continent.
Then Homo sapiens populated the territory of modern Iraq. From there, some of our ancestors went further east and settled in Indonesia. There they again found themselves in a "trap", but already because of the high sea level. They had to wait 60 thousand years for the sea level to fall. It was only then that Homo sapiens reached Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, some of the pioneers were moving in a northeastern direction, and they came to Siberia 30 thousand years ago. There was a third barrier waiting for them - huge glaciers. Because of them, people could not get over to North America. Only 15 thousand years ago the way to the neighboring continent was cleared. The last obstacle was the ice of Europe and northwestern Asia: in warm times, people went north to Scandinavia, and in cold times they returned to the south.
- Imagine how ancient people had to suffer in order to overcome all obstacles and become the crown of evolution! - Ardently addressed the audience Andrea Manica.
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IN THE FIGHT FOR THE BEST PIECE
- During all these twists and turns, the active
brain growth,”continued fellow speaker Dr. Ian Tattersall. “After all, our ancestors, without maps and a compass, had to think in which direction to move so as not to disappear into unknown lands.
And when they reached a new place, they again had to turn on their convolutions in order to settle down, figure out where to live, what to eat, and most importantly - to protect their territory from enemy neighbors. In fact, they began to grow wiser simultaneously with the formation of their main characteristic feature - aggression.
- The animosity between small human groups, constant conflicts led to the fact that natural selection began to win the smartest individuals capable of planning their actions, - the scientist concludes.
Researchers have found traces of conflicts. For example, not so long ago in the Atapuerca caves in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, Spanish anthropologists discovered "pits with bones." At first they thought that these were the remains of people who died from an epidemic or killed in an intertribal clash. But it was not there. The investigation proved that the "Heidelberg man" who lived here 700-500 thousand years ago was a cannibal. And his anthropologists consider the direct ancestor of the Neanderthals, and along with modern people. So you see our ancestor, wiser with anger, sitting by the fire and eating a roast from his fellow tribesman by both cheeks. Horror takes!
At the end of the talk, Dr. Tattersall summarized:
- When the ice and deserts came again, large groups of people were forced to break up into smaller ones. And each such small tribe developed independently of all the others, acquiring its own biological and psychological characteristics. When the heat returned, the tribes met, and the strong exterminated the weak. The winners passed on to their offspring through genes, upbringing and behavior their characteristics, which eventually became the property of all mankind.
Do you understand what traits the doctor had in mind? Malevolence, hostility, severity.
INSTEAD OF AFTERWORD
That is why, apparently, one of the most important biblical commandments was "Love your neighbor as yourself." It turns out that even the authors of the Bible noticed a strange dislike of people for each other, but could not understand its reasons. We thought they would fix the situation by issuing a law. But it is still not implemented by everyone. The genes of the strong and the evil take their toll.