CARTA – Page 3 – UCSD-TV Blog

Behaviorally Modern Humans: Interbreeding with Archaic Humans

There are many theories as to how humans evolved to who we are today.

Fossils tell us that there once existed many human-like species, such as the Neanderthals, that had similar yet archaic skull shapes. Some people believe that there was just one ancestor of our modern species who evolved into the species we are today — but that straightforward trajectory seems too simple to be evolutionarily possible. Another theory suggests that there were many variations of our ancestors, but whose lineages did not persist as ours did. Eventually, modern humans replaced those sub-human species — but not before our ancestors interbred with them to create the variations of humans we have today.

In this episode of the latest CARTA series, Behaviorally Modern Humans: The Origins of Us, Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum of London takes us through his analysis of the fossil record to present his theory on how humans and our ancestors evolved and dominated the globe. Then, Michael Hammer from the University of Arizona discusses the possibility of interbreeding of human subspecies to create the species known as modern humans. Followed by Richard “Ed” Green of UC Santa Cruz who also talks about the possibility of interbreeding, but with species even outside of Africa.

Watch “Behaviorally Modern Humans: Interbreeding with Archaic Humans” to see what you really know about your family history.

Don’t miss other episodes in this new series!

New Series! Behaviorally Modern Humans: The Origin of Us

This latest CARTA series, Behaviorally Modern Humans, the Origin of Us, explores the questions of when, where and how humans evolved into the modern species we are today and what set us apart from the other human species on the planet that we replaced.

This first episode in the series, African Climate of the Last 400,000 Years, East African Archaeological Evidence, and South African Archaeological Evidence examines the latest evidence from multiple disciplines to answer these questions about our origins.

First, Rick Potts of the Smithsonian Institution introduces an analysis of the climate in which our ancient ancestors lived 400,000 years ago in Africa. His talk is followed by Alison S. Brooks of George Washington University and the Smithsonian Institution, who discusses what archaeological evidence can tell us about our past in East Africa. Then, Lyn Wadley from University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg discusses what clues are hidden in the archaeological finds of South Africa.

See what you might learn about your history and stay tuned for more episodes in this series!

Discover more anthropology videos from UCSD-TV.

Is the Human Mind Unique?

There’s plenty that goes on in these heads of ours — sometimes more than we want or understand. But just how much does the way our minds work distinguish us from other species?

In the latest series from UC San Diego’s CARTA, scientists from different fields discuss the cognitive abilities that are often regarded as unique to humans, including humor, morality, symbolism, creativity and preoccupation with the minds of others. They assess the functional uniqueness of these attributes, as opposed to the anatomical uniqueness, and whether they are indeed quantitatively or qualitatively unique to humans.

Watch “Is the Human Mind Unique?” and then tell that brain of yours to click on over to the CARTA video archive for more intriguing insights into what makes us human.

April News & Highlights

Featured This Month
Program Highlights
New to Video On-Demand

FEATURED THIS MONTH

An Evening with Poet Billy Collins

Don’t miss this chance to enjoy American poet Billy Collins as he reads a selection of humorous poems and discusses the craft of writing with Dean Nelson and an appreciative audience at the keynote event of the 2013 Writer’s Symposium by the Sea, sponsored by Point Loma Nazarene University.

An Evening with Billy Collins
Premieres April 1 at 8pm

Find more video from past
Writer’s Symposium by the Sea events.

Is the Human Mind Unique?

New from CARTA, scientists from different fields discuss cognitive abilities often regarded as unique to humans, including humor, morality, symbolism, creativity and preoccupation with the minds of others. They assess the functional uniqueness of these attributes, as opposed to the anatomical uniqueness, and whether they are indeed quantitatively or qualitatively unique to humans.

Is the Human Mind Unique? Premieres April 8.

To Be Musical Concludes

We wrap up the six-part series on what makes music musical this month with two fascinating presentations. On April 2 at 9pm, Grammy-winning soprano and UCSD Professor of Music Susan Narucki presents “Utterance, Ritual, Expression: Why Singing Makes Us Human.”

Then on April 16, Diana Deutsch, UCSD Professor of Psychology, shows the striking difference in how people hear simple musical patterns in “Musical Illusions, Perfect Pitch and Other Curiosities.”

Browse all To Be Musical programs.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

All programs repeat throughout the month. Visit the Program Schedule on our web site for additional air dates and times.

February 2013 News & Highlights

Featured This Month
Program Highlights
New to Video On-Demand

FEATURED THIS MONTH

The Career Channel: Bridge to Better Employment

If you or someone you know is a recent college graduate or a graduate in career transition, then stop by UCTV’s newly launched CareerChannel, powered by the employment experts at UC San Diego Extension. As an unbiased provider of information, tools and experts, the channel aims to help job-seekers identify newly emerging areas of career opportunity and to develop paths and plans for necessary reskilling through research, reporting and public dialogue presented through video, radio and print. Check it out today and stay tuned for new programs about the ever-evolving career marketplace!

The Career Channel

To Be Musical

Don’t miss this fascinating series from UC San Diego’s Eleanor Roosevelt College examining exactly what it is that makes music,musical. Professors of music, literature and psychology decode the mysteries of music and its effect on our brains, our emotions and our lives. The series kicks off this month with renowned percussionist Steven Schick and saxophonist and educator David Borgo.

To Be Musical

Lifting the Blanket: Pursuit of a Climate Change Solution

Beginning his career as an engineer at a refrigeration plant in India, Veerabhadran Ramanathan went on to make one of the most important climate change discoveries when he identified chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as even larger contributors to global warming than the previously identified culprit, carbon dioxide. This four-part series from UCTV’s YouTube original channel, UCTV Prime, follows the Scripps Institution of Oceanography scientist’s remarkable path that changed the face of climate change research and has introduced possibilities for human-scale solutions.