Anthropology/Human evolution

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Expert: - 8/18/2010


Question
If we evolved from apes, why didn't all apes evolve?

Answer
Apes did evolve.  We and they share a last common ancestor.  We are more divergent from that ancestor in terms of behavior and morphology, but living apes are divergent from that ancestor, too.  For example, the limited fossil evidence we have suggests that knuckle-walking is something that evolved among apes uniquely.
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John Shea

Anthropology

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John Shea

Expertise

Questions about Old World prehistoric archaeology (especially Stone Age) of Europe, Africa, and Western Asia, prehistoric human and hominid behavior, primitive technology, origin of modern humans, extinction of the Neandertals.

Experience

>20 years as a professional anthropologist based at a research university.

Publications
Journal of Field Archaeology, Journal of Archaeological Science, Lithic Technology, Evolutionary Anthropology, Current Anthropology, Mitekufat HaEven (Journal of the Israel Prehistoric Society), Paléorient, Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan, American Anthropologist, Geoarchaeology.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D (Anthropology) Harvard University, 1991.
BA (Archaeology) Boston University, 1982.

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