From Miocene Apes to First Fires: What Does It Mean to Be Human?

About this event

What makes us human? Is it our biology, our intelligence, our ability to cooperate, or our capacity to create and transmit culture? In this session, we'll explore the evolutionary journey from the diverse apes of the Miocene to the emergence of early humans and the growing importance of tools, fire, and social cooperation. Along the way, we'll examine some of the major transitions that shaped our lineage, including bipedalism, changes in brain size and cognition, technological innovation, and the development of increasingly complex social and cultural behaviors. We'll also consider some deeper questions: • When, and in what sense, did our ancestors become human? • Which traits distinguish humans from other apes, and which do we share? • How did changing environments shape human evolution? • What roles did fire, cooperation, and cumulative culture play in our success? • Is humanity best understood as a biological distinction, an evolutionary process, or something more? Drawing on evidence from paleoanthropology, archaeology, genetics, and evolutionary theory, we'll explore how our understanding of human origins continues to evolve. Join us for a discussion about where we came from, what makes us distinctive, and what our evolutionary history can tell us about ourselves today.