The document summarizes key differences between pongids (non-human primates) and hominids (early humans and their ancestors). Hominids evolved to walk upright, have longer legs than arms adapted for striding, high foot arches, and reduced teeth and jaw sizes. In contrast, pongids are bent over, have arms longer than legs for swinging, low foot arches, and larger teeth. Hominids also developed larger brain sizes ranging from 400-2000cc compared to 280-705cc for pongids. The document proposes hominid evolution originated in Africa and then migrated outward.

1. HUMAN EVOLUTION
Courtesy http://www.lab-initio.com/

2. Survey – Beliefs in Human
Evolution

3. Skeletal Comparisons

4. Posture
Pongid Hominid
Bent over or quadrapedal; Upright or bipedal
Knuckle-walking common

5. Leg and Arm
Pongid Hominid
Arms longer than legs, Legs usually longer than
adapted for swinging by arms; adapted for striding
arm - usually among trees

6. Feet
Pongid Hominid
Low arches; opposable big High arches; big toes in
toes - capable of grasping line with others; adapted
for walking

7. Teeth
Pongid Hominid
Prominent; large gaps Reduced; reduced or
between canines and absent gaps
nearby teeth

8. Skull
Pongid Hominid
Bent forward from spinal Upright on spinal column;
column; very rugged; smooth brow ridges
prominent brow ridges

9. Face
Pongid Hominid
Jaws jut out; very heavy; Vertical profile; More
very wide nasal opening; distinct chin; Prominent
sloping nasal spine

10. Brain Size
Pongid Hominid
280-705 cm3 (current) 400-2000 cm3
(fossil to present)

11. Proposed Hominid Evolution

12. Comparison of Hominid Brain Size

13. This genetic distance map made in
2002 is an estimate of 18 world
human groups by a neighbor-joining
method based on 23 kinds of genetic
information.

14. Out of Africa

15. Out of Africa