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Physical anthropology
*** Shopping-Tip: Physical anthropology
'''Physical anthropology''', often called ''biological
anthropology'', studies the mechanisms of biological
evolution,
genetics genetic inheritance,
human Adaptation adaptability and variation,
primatology,
primate Morphology (biology) morphology, and the
fossil record of
human evolution. See also:
Race.
Physical anthropology developed in the 19th century, prior to the rise of
Charles Darwin's theory of
natural selection, also known as the theory of
evolution, and
Gregor Mendel's theory of
genetics. Physical anthropology was so called because all of its data was physical (fossils, especially human bones). With the rise of Darwinian theory and
the modern synthesis, anthropologists had access to new forms of data, and many began to call themselves "biological anthropologists."
Some of the early branches of physical anthropology, such as early
anthropometry, are now rejected as
pseudoscience. Metrics such as the
cephalic index were used to derive behavioral characteristics. Two of the earliest founders of scientific physical anthropology were
Paul Pierre Broca and
Franz Boas.
Branches
*
Primatology, the study of
primates,
*
Population genetics, the study of biological human diversity (related to
evolutionary biology)
*
Human evolution - also called
paleoanthropology; the study of the development of humans
The study of human evolution often involves other specializations:
* human
osteology, the study of skeletal material. Experts in osteology are able to apply their skills and knowledge to other areas:
*
Paleopathology, which studies the traces of disease and injury in human skeletons
*
Forensic anthropology, the analysis and identification of human remains in the service of coroners or medical examiners. This research often provides law enforcement with important evidence.
Renowned paleoanthropologists
*
Davidson Black (1884-1934)
*
Robert Broom (1866-1951)
*
Carleton S. Coon (1904-1981)
*
Raymond Dart (1893-1988)
*
Eugene Dubois (1858-1940)
*
Earnest Hooton (1887-1954)
*
Donald C. Johanson (1943- )
*
Louis Leakey (1903-1972)
*
Mary Leakey (1913-1996)
*
Richard Leakey (1944- )
*
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955)
*
Milford H. Wolpoff (1942- )
External links
-
American Association of Physical Anthropologists
-
Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology
Category:Physical anthropology *
bs:FiziÄ?ka antropologija
ca:Antropologia fÃsica
cy:Anthropoleg biolegol
et:Füüsiline antropoloogia
es:AntropologÃa fÃsica
fr:Anthropologie physique
hu:Fizikai antropológia
is:LÃffræðileg mannfræði
it:Antropologia fisica
ja:自然人類å¦
nl:Fysische antropologie
pl:Antropologia fizyczna
pt:Antropologia fÃsica
sk:Fyzická antropológia
zh:体质人类å¦
see
Physical anthropology
{{catmore}}
Category:Anthropology
Category:animal taxonomy
Category:Biometrics
zh:category:體質人類å¸
*** Shopping-Tip: Physical anthropology
