Hominization and Evolution: Key Concepts Explained

Hominization: The Path to Humanity

Hominization is the process through which primates, our ancestors, gradually acquired the physical structure of humans. This involved a series of morphological changes affecting their bodies, changes observed in the fossil record. Significant morphological changes include:

• Lengthening of the hip.
• Development of bipedal walking legs.
• Atrophy of the lower jaw and masseter muscles (releasing the skull).
• Increasing complexity of the brain (leading to greater intelligence).
• Development of the hand, particularly the thumb (allowing the use and manufacture of tools).

Humanization is the process by which our ancestors acquired culture, the elements that constitute civilization. This involves not physical changes, but cultural behaviors that have made us uniquely human and differentiated us from other animals. These include:

• Fire management.
• Symbolic language development.
• The manufacture of weapons and tools.
• Building housing.
• Learning patterns of social behavior.
• Acquisition of knowledge.

Lamarck's Theory of Evolution

In the realm of nature, there is a clear gradation among different genera of animals and plants, ranging from the most complex and perfect to the most simple and imperfect. This occurs because nature has worked in reverse, producing more complex and perfect animals from the most simple and imperfect. The engine of this evolution is adaptation.

Living animals adapt to their environment, so when the environment changes, they are forced to modify their habits. Through more or less use of some organs, development or atrophy occurs. According to Lamarck, these changes are transmitted to descendants, and after many generations, individuals have changed so much that they are considered a different species.

Genotype and Phenotype

Genotype: The genotype is the genetic structure of an individual, encoded in their genes, and remains practically unchanged from birth.

Phenotype: The phenotype is the individual's current physical structure, a product of their genotype and environmental circumstances.