Earth Climates and the Evolution of Early Humans

Global Climate Zones and European Landscapes

Classification of Earth's Climates

• Warm Zone: Located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. It includes equatorial, tropical, and desert climates.
• Temperate Zone: Extends over two hemispheres and includes oceanic, continental, and Mediterranean climates.
• Cold Zone: Comprises polar areas. Both polar and high mountain climates are characterized by long, harsh winters and scarce precipitation in the form of snow.

Geography and Biodiversity of Europe

Europe features a great diversity of climates and landscapes influenced by several factors:

• Latitude: The major part of the continent is situated at mid-latitudes, between 35 and 60 degrees North latitude.
• Influence of the Sea: European lands are under the maritime influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, which causes mild temperatures and abundant precipitation.
• Relief: The prevalence of flat lands on the western side favors the entry of moist air and subsequent rainfall.
• Vegetation: Natural vegetation includes the tundra in the north and coniferous forests further south. The rest of Europe consists of mixed forests, deciduous forests, steppe forests, and Mediterranean vegetation.
• Fauna: Includes large mammals (bears, wolves, etc.), small mammals (rabbits, hares, etc.), and birds (hawks, eagles, etc.).

Human Evolution and Prehistoric Eras

Stages of Human Development

• Australopithecus: 1.10 m tall, 40 kg, walked upright.
• Homo habilis: 1.59 m tall, 50 kg, created the first utensils, and could talk.
• Homo erectus: 1.60 m tall, 60 kg, discovered fire, and practiced group hunting.
• Homo neanderthalensis: 1.65 m tall, 80 kg, performed the first burials and manufactured specialized tools.
• Homo sapiens sapiens: 1.70 m tall, 70 kg, created the first examples of art and manufactured specialized tools.

The Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages

The Paleolithic Era (meaning "ancient stone"): To feed themselves, humans gathered fruit, hunted, and fished. Because they did not produce their own food, they are known as predators. They were nomads with no fixed residence. Use of Fire: Homo erectus discovered fire, and later, Neanderthals learned how to ignite it.

The Neolithic Era: Characterized by food production through agriculture and livestock. Agriculture involved cultivating cereals (wheat, barley, oats, etc.) and legumes (lentils, peas, etc.). Livestock involved the domestication of animals.

The Age of Metals and Megalithic Monuments

The Age of Metals and metallurgy began millennia ago. The first metal used was copper, followed by bronze after 3000 B.C., and ironworking in the second millennium B.C.

Megalithic Structures:

• Menhir: A large stone stuck vertically into the ground.
• Dolmen: A chamber formed by large vertical stone slabs supporting a cover.
• Cromlech: A set of vertical stone slabs forming a circle.