Theories of origin and development of Humans

This post delves into the various theories or versions of origin and development of Humans and their existence on the planet Earth.

Man is a biped primate in the family of Hominidae. Man is a natural being with a highly developed brain, abstract reasoning, introspection and emotion. Man has an erect body carriage with free arms.

Modern humans originated from Africa about 250,000 years ago.
Several theories explain the origin of man and they are religious and scientific theories of evolution as shown below.

Religious theory of man

• They are divided into three major ones

The creation story in the bible

• It explains the human origin from the act of creation by God.
• This theory suggests that God created human beings in his own image (Genesis 1:26-28).
• It also states that man was created from dust and a woman from the man’s rib.
• Once created, both man and woman were to reproduce, fill the earth and to have control over the rest of creation.

The Islamic view of creation

• The Islamic view of creation of man is according to the Koran.
• The Koran states that God (Allah) created man in the best image.
• God created man (Adam) from the surrounding clay and the woman from his rib.
• It is written in the Koran, Surat Rahman 55:14.

The African Traditional theories

• The African traditional theories also explain the origin of man.
• Most African communities have myths of origin whose common part is that the first people were created by God.

The scientific theory of evolution

• Scientists suggest that many millions of years ago, there was no single planet but specks of dusts floating in space.
• They were attracted together and an explosion took place known as, the big bang theory.
• The fragments formed 9 planets moving around the sun.
• The earth was surrounded by a steam which cooled and condensed to form rainfall.
• The heavy rainfall for a long period led to the formation of seas, lakes and rivers.
• The living creatures were formed from the gradual drying of a watery earth.
• Therefore, man evolved from fish species to an upright moving creature according to the British scholar Charles Darwin (1809 -1882).
• Evolution is defined as the process of change in the living organisms over a number of years, frequently involving the beginning of new species from earlier species.
• It is a natural process of gradual change from a simpler state to a better adopted and superior state or species.
• Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution states that all living things evolved over million years from a simple living cell to complex plants and animals we see today.

Theory of Evolution

• All creatures are different and this difference or uniqueness is based on hereditary factors which originate from birth.
• Many young organisms are produced, a few manage to develop to maturity and reproduce.
• The organisms that manage to grow to maturity and reproduce are those that are able to constantly adapt to the existing environment.
• The fittest organisms survive and the weak ones become extinct. This theory is popularly known as, survival for the fittest.
• According to Darwin, after the species going through mutation and natural selection, the emergency species differ from their ancestors. They take on a significantly different physical form.
• Darwin’s theory of evolution has been supported by almost all the scientists, particularly the palaeontologists who study fossil remains.
• Therefore, this theory states that man is a primate and evolved over years through many stages.

Stages in the development of human

• Through the excavation of remains of ancient sites, Paleoanthropologists have discovered evidence of our ancestors from millions of years ago.
• Palaeoanthropology is the study of humanity from prehistoric times.
• Palaeoanthropology have been able to trace the important development in human evolution, such as: Walking on two legs, Complex brain activity, Making and using tools and ability to communicate by using language

Stages in the evolution of human

• The information gained from the fossils compelled the historians to conclude that man evolved from a four-legged animal to an upright posture.
• This occurred by man adapting his feet and legs to enable him stand and walk in an upright posture.
• The two-legged position enabled him to see further, to look beyond tall grass and vegetation.
• He could then easily locate food and his advancing enemies.

Proconsul Africanus

• The remains of Proconsul Africanus were discovered in Kenya around Lake Victoria in1930s.
• This hominoid species lived more than 20 million years ago.
• It was similar to an ape, with a jaw similar to that of human.
• This suggested a common ancestry between human and apes.

Kenyapithecus

Kenyapithecus was discovered at Fort Terman in Kenya.

• This primate lived 13 to 20 million years ago.
• Even though it did not walk upright, it is mostly belied to be the first true primate similar to modern humans.

Australopithecus

• The name Australopithecus means ‘southern ape’.
• Remains of this species were discovered at site in Southern Africa in 1896, north of the Vaal River, by Prof Raymond Dart. Australopithecus lived 3 million years ago
• It was the earliest human-like primate.
• It had a combination of ape-like and human like features.
• These primates walked upright on two legs most of the time.
• They also had smaller canine teeth than the apes, more like those of humans.
• They did not use tools, but made simple shelters from grass and branches.

Zinjanthropus

• Zinjanthropus lived about 1.75 million years ago.
• Fossil remains of this creature were discovered by Mary Leaky at Olduval Gorge in Tanzania in East Africa.
• Her husband Dr.Luis Leaky, identified where in the process of human evolution it fitted in.
• Zinjanthropus is also called “Nutcracker Man” because of its large teeth that were suitable for breaking things.
• Its brain was like that of an ape, but it walked upright like a human.
• That is why it is also sometimes called “Ape Man”.

Homo Habilis

• This was one of the earliest known members of the genus homo to which modern humans also belong. It lived in Africa about 1.8 million years ago.
• Homo habilis means “able man” or “handy man”.
• Stone tools discovered near the skeletons of homo habilis indicated that it used tools, for example for hunting.
• Scientists believe that its brain was larger than that of earlier primate such as Australopithecus because it had a much larger space for the area where the brain would be.
• It is also believed that this creature developed skills of hunting and fishing because of the
• remains of the bones of fish, mammals and birds which were found close to Homo habilis.