Characteristics of Early Humans (Timeline)

How do scientists primarily learn about extinct hominin relatives?

• Through ancient texts and oral traditions

• By studying living primate species

• Through fossil discoveries

• By analyzing modern human DNA

What species are considered the closest living relatives to humans?

• Gorillas

• Orangutans

• Chimpanzees

• Gibbons

Approximately how long ago did humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestor?

• 1 million years ago

• 3 million years ago

• 5 million years ago

• 7 million years ago

Which of the following was a characteristic of Sahelanthropus tchadensis, one of the earliest known hominins?

• Large brain size

• Smaller canine teeth compared to earlier apes

• Exclusive tree-dwelling lifestyle

• Advanced tool-making abilities

The thighbone of Orrorin tugenensis provides evidence for what significant evolutionary development?

• Increased brain capacity

• Development of grasping feet

• Upright walking (bipedalism)

• Use of complex tools

What does the fossil record indicate about the evolution of bipedalism in hominins?

• It evolved simultaneously with large brains

• It developed long before other human-like traits like big brains

• It was a trait unique to Homo sapiens

• It was lost as hominins adapted to new environments

What major evolutionary milestone is associated with Homo erectus around 2 million years ago?

• The development of controlled fire

• The first migration of hominins out of Africa

• The emergence of symbolic thought

• The loss of grasping feet

Which hominin species is believed to have produced the first known stone tools?

• Australopithecus afarensis

• Paranthropus boisei

• Homo habilis

• Homo erectus