Certain medical problems resulting from evolutionary processes: bipedalism as an example

Humans are primates, and as such, our overall anatomy is very similar to that of other members of this biological order. Yet, there are numerous differences in certain anatomical regions of living humans when compared to our closest living relatives, the African great apes. Many of these, such as our extremely large brains compared to body size (even if all primates have relatively large brains), details in dental anatomy, and so on, appear at different times in our evolutionary past and within the tribe hominini. However, the first, and taxonomically most significant synapomorphy of the hominin clade is a change in locomotory mode, from that of a quadruped (presumably the ancestral state in last common ancestor (LCA) of humans and apes) to biped. In this paper, a brief overview is given of the most important anatomical challenges that these novel locomotory patterns required to be enegretically efficient, as seen in the comparison between living African apes and humans. Further, an overview of the fossil record, as related to the issues raised, is given. Lastly, the importance of understanding evolutionary adaptations and changes for the medical profession is discussed

Neandertals

U radu je iznesen pregled znanstvenih saznanja o populaciji neandertalaca koji uključuje rezultate područja arheologije, antropologije i genetike. Osim pregleda znanstvenih saznanja, u radu se daje i povijesni pregled razmišljanja o mjestu neandertalaca unutar evolucijskog razvoja čovjeka kao i uvid u modele koji se najčešće spominju u suvremenoj literaturi.The paper presents an overview of scientific insights into the Neandertal population, including results obtained in the fields of archaeology, anthropology and genetics. In addition to this overview, the paper also provides a historical perspective of considerations of the position of the Neandertals within human evolution, as well as a discussion of models that are most frequently mentioned in contemporary literature

Papers on Human Evolution Published in Collegium Antropologicum from 1977–2004

Papers on human evolution published in Collegium Antropologicum in the period from 1977 to 2004 are listed in this review

The Middle and Early Upper Paleolithic in Croatia

Članak donosi pregled glavnih nalazišta, interpretacija i spoznaja u proučavanju srednjega i ranoga gornjeg paleolitika Hrvatske. Posebna je pozornost posvećena rezultatima novijih istraživanja i novijim interpretacijama ranijih istraživanja, bitnima za rekonstrukciju ponašanja i prilagodbe neandertalaca, njihova nestanka te pojave ranih suvremenih Europljana. Neandertalci su se podjednako dobro prilagođavali različitu okolišu u kontinentalnoj (sjeverozapadnoj) i mediteranskoj Hrvatskoj (Dalmacija). Arheološki nalazi s područja sjeverozapadne Hrvatske (špilja Vindija) upućuju na prijelaz srednjega u gornji paleolitik, povezanost neandertalaca s inicijalnim gornjim paleolitikom i moguće susrete neandertalaca i ranih modernih ljudi. S druge strane između kasnoga srednjeg paleolitika (Mujina pećina) i ranoga gornjeg paleolitika (Šandalja II) istočnoga jadranskog područja postoji vremenska praznina veća od 10 000 godina, uz vidnu razliku u načinu proizvodnje i tipologiji alatki. Tijekom posljednjih 15-ak godina spoznaje o paleolitiku Hrvatske znatno su dopunjene i promijenjene, što je rezultat istraživanja više nalazišta uporabom suvremenih metoda, ali i provedbe detaljnijih analiza ranije iskopana materijala.The article provides an overview of the principle sites, interpretations and knowledge gained in the study of the Middle and early Upper Paleolithic in Croatia. Particular attention is accorded to the results of more recent research and newer interpretations of earlier research essential to the reconstruction of the behavior and adaptations of the Neandertals, their disappearance and the appearance of early modern Europeans. The Neandertals were equally capable of adapting to the different environments in continental (Northwestern) Croatia and Mediterranean Croatia (Dalmatia). Archeological materials from Northwestern Croatia (Vindija Cave) indicate the transition from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic, the ties of the Neandertals to the initial Upper Paleolithic and possible encounters between Neandertals and early modern humans. On the other hand, there is a 10,000 year gap between the late Middle Paleolithic (Mujina Pećina) and the early Upper Paleolithic (Šandalja II) of the Eastern Adriatic region, with a visible difference in tool production methods and typology. Over the past fifteen years, knowledge on the Paleolithic in Croatia has been considerably supplemented and enhanced, which is the result of research at several sites using cutting-edge methods as well as thorough analyses of materials excavated previously

Papers on Human Evolution Published in Collegium Antropologicum from 1977–2004

Papers on human evolution published in Collegium Antropologicum in the period from 1977 to 2004 are listed in this review