Origins of Genus Homo
Despite discoveries of remarkable new fossils in recent years, the evolutionary events surrounding the origins of genus Homo are incompletely understood. This CARTA symposium explores evidence bearing on the emergence of our genus, focusing on possible antecedents to Homo, changes in diet and body form as Australopithecus evolved toward Homo,
ancient species within the genus, and evolutionary processes likely operating 2.5 - 1.5 million years ago. (from carta.anthropogeny.org)
A Potential Molecular Mechanism for the Speciation of Genus Homo. The human species underwent a watershed change in the biochemical composition of its cell surfaces, via a genetic event estimated to have occurred ~2-3 mya, which is also the apparent period of the emergence of the genus Homo. In this talk, UC San Diego's Pascal Gagneux explains
how this radical makeover of cell surfaces in early Homo would have brought about a mismatch between females lacking a certain cell surface sialic acid and males still expressing it, essentially providing a mechanism for reproductive isolation and speciation.
| 5. A Potential Molecular Mechanism for the Speciation of Genus Homo |
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