A novel Pleistocene niche for Homo sapiens?: Comparing the ecological and environmental contexts of our species and its closest relatives (Dr Patrick Roberts, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History)
Start time: 13:00 / End time: 14:00 / Date: 29 Oct 2020 Open to: Students within this Faculty / Staff within this Faculty / Any UOL students / Any UOL staff / Any potential postgraduate students / Any potential international students / University of Liverpool Alumni / General Public Type: Webinar Cost: Free. Registration is required to attend the webinar Contact: For more information contact Lucy Timbrell at lucy.timbrell@liverpool.ac.uk Definitions of our species have tended to focus on fossils, genetics, or its unique capacities for symbolism, language, social networking, technological competence, and cognitive development. More recently, however, attention is increasingly turning towards humans’ ecological plasticity. In this talk, Patrick will provide a critical evaluation of existing archaeological and palaeo-environmental datasets relating to the Pleistocene (300-12 ka) dispersal of our species within and beyond Africa. He will argue, following comparison with the available information for other members of the genus Homo, that our species developed a new ecological niche, that of the ‘generalist specialist’. Not only did Homo sapiens as a whole occupy and utilise a diversity of Pleistocene environments, across the majority of the planet's continents, but particular human populations also specialised in their adaptations to some of these environmental extremes. Understanding this ecological niche provides a hypothetical, testable framework for discussing what it means to be human and perhaps how our species became the last surviving hominin on the planet. When you click on "Add this event to my calendar" your browser will download an ics file. Microsoft Outlook: Download the file, then you may be able to click on "Save & Close" to save it to your calendar. If that doesn't work go into Outlook, click on the File tab, then on Open, then Import. Select "Import an iCalendar (.ic or vCalendar file (.vcs)" then click on Next. Find the .ics file and click on OK. Google Calendar: download the file, then go into your calendar. On the right where it says "Other calendars" click on the arrow icon and then click on Import calendar. Click on Browse and select the .ics file, then click on Import. Apple Calendar: download the file, then you can either drag it to Calendar or import the file by going to File > Import > Import and choosing the .ics file.About the event
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