#322 Curtis Marean: Zooarchaeology, Human Origins And Evolution
RECORDED ON FEBRUARY 5th, 2020.
Dr. Curtis Marean is Foundation Professor and Associate Director at the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University. Dr. Marean’s research interests focus on the origins of modern humans, the prehistory of Africa, the study of animal bones from archaeological sites and climates and environments of the past. In the area of the origins of modern humans, he is particularly interested in questions about foraging strategies and the evolution of modern human behavior. He has a special interest in human occupation of grassland and coastal ecosystems.
In this episode, we start by talking about zooarchaeology, and Integrating paleoanthropology, paleoclimate and paleoenvironments. We then discuss the importance of stone tools and fire in human evolution. We also refer to what it is to be a modern human. We address the limitations of foraging models. We explore how culture might have evolved in humans. Finally, we talk about our possible origins and migrations.
Time Links:
What is zooarchaeology?
The importance of stone tools
The cognitive revolution
What is it to be a modern human?
The role of fire
Foraging strategies
The evolution of culture
The subpopulation we evolved from
New study: “Human origins in a southern African paleo-wetland and first migrations”
Why was H. sapiens the only hominin species that spread across the entire globe?
Is H. sapiens an invasive species?
Follow Dr. Marean’s work!
Follow Dr. Marean’s work:
Faculty page: http://bit.ly/2PohGqd
Scientific contributions on ResearchGate: http://bit.ly/2Pn2ysM
Referenced paper: https://go.nature.com/2ueh92i