#400 John Hoffecker - Modern Humans: Their African Origin and Global Dispersal
RECORDED ON SEPTEMBER 25th 2020.
Dr. John Hoffecker is Fellow of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR). He specializes in archaeology and human paleoecology. His primary research focus is the global dispersal of anatomically modern humans, which began more than 50,000 years ago in Africa. He is the author of several books, including Modern Humans: Their African Origin and Global Dispersal (2017).
In this episode, we focus on Dr. Hoffecker’s book. We cover some of the major topics of the book, including: the importance of the human hand and the vocal tract in our evolution, and particularly for the development of culture; what are modern humans; Out of Africa migrations for both species before and after H. sapiens; the technology H. sapiens needed for the migrations to be possible; the evolution and interaction with Neanderthals and Denisovans; the origins of H. sapiens; the reasons behind the migrations; the extinction of megafauna; and human geographic races.
Time Links:
The evolution of the human hand and the vocal tract, and the basis for our complex cultures
What are modern humans?
Out of Africa migrations before H. sapiens
The traits that allowed for migrations
Denisovans, and Neanderthals
The origins of H. sapiens
How to understand the cognition of modern humans
Out of Africa migrations by H. sapiens
The reasons behind the migrations
Contacting Neanderthals and Denisovans
Reaching the Americas
The extinction of megafauna
The problem with human geographic races
Follow Dr. Hoffecker’s work!
Follow Dr. Hoffecker’s work:
INSTAAR page: https://bit.ly/3mTF9OE
ResearchGate profile: https://bit.ly/3j8ymyc
Amazon page: https://amzn.to/367EVNW
Modern Humans: Their African Origin and Global Dispersal: https://amzn.to/2RZYxeA