1.Heredity and Evolution L5

Speciation :

  • Formation of new species of plants and animals is the effect of evolution. 
  • Species is the group of organisms that can produce fertile individuals through natural reproduction. 
  • Genetic variation is responsible for formation of new species from earlier one. 
  • Besides, geographical and reproductive changes are also responsible. 
  • Similarly, geographical or reproductive isolation also leads to speciation

Human Evolution : 

  • Last dinosaurs disappeared approximately seven crore years ago. 
  • At that time, monkey-like animals are said to be evolved from some ancestors who were more or less similar to the modern lemurs
  • Tail of these monkey-like animals of Africa is said to be disappeared about 4 crore years ago. 
  • They developed due to enlargement in brain their hands were also improved and thus ape-like animals were evolved. 
  • Meanwhile, these ape-like animals reached the South and North-East Asia and  finally evolved into gibbon and orang-utan.
  • Remaining ape-like animals stayed in Africa and from them, gorilla and chimpanzee evolved about 2.5 crore years ago
  • Evolution of some of the 2 crore year old species of apes seems to be occurred in different way. They had to use their hands more for eating food and other work.
  • These first human--like animals with erect posture which were using their hands have evolved abou11t 2 crore years ago
First record of human-like animal is with us in the form of ‘Ramapithecus’ ape from North India and East Africa. 
  • Afterwards, this ape grown up in size and became more intelligent and thus the ape of South Africa evolved about 40 lakh years ago.
  • The morphology of these human-like animals started to appear [genus Homo] about 20 lakh years ago and thus skilled human developed. 
  • About 15 lakh years ago, human walking with erect posture was evolved. 
  • It may have existed in China and Indonesia of Asian continent.
  • Evolution of upright man continued in the direction of developing its brain for the period of about 1 lakh years and meanwhile it discovered the fire
  • Brain of 50 thousand year old man had been sufficiently evolved to the extent that it could be considered as member of the class- wise-man (Homo sapiens).
  • Neanderthal man -  first example of wise-man. 
  • The Cro-Magnon man - 50 thousand years ago and afterwards, this  evolution had been faster than the earlier.
  • About 10 thousand years ago, wise-man started to practice the agriculture.  
  • Art of writing5000 years ago 
  • Modern sciences emerged - 400 years ago 
  • Industrial society - 200 years ago 
  • Now we have reached at this stage, and still we are searching the details of roots of human ancestry.