The Human Origins Program: Field Research "The study of human evolution has long sought to explain major adaptations and trends that lead to the origin of Homo sapiens. Environmental scenarios have played a pivotal role in this endeavor. They represent statements, or more commonly, assumptions concerning the adaptive context in which key [early human] traits emerged. In many cases, however, these scenarios are based on very little, if any, data about the past settings in which early [humans] lived." --Rick Potts: Director, Human Origins Program
One of the fundamental goals of the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian is to advance scientific understanding of our evolutionary history. A special focus of this understanding is the intricate interplay of early human populations and the environments in which they lived. The Human Origins Program is the first major research endeavor aimed at investigating the ecological aspects of human origins. An international consortium of paleontologists, anthropologists, geologists, and scientists from other disciplines has been organized to research the fossil, archeological, and climatic records of early human sites from around the world. | |
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