"The Evolution of Human Uniqueness," presented by Kim Hill of Arizona State University for the Morrison Institute Winter Colloquium

Event Details:

Humans are a unique species among the 5 million species on this planet.  More specifically we represent an extreme outlier species on many easily measured dimensions from our fraction of earths biomass and nutrient cycling, to levels of social complexity, to extra somatic phenotype, energy capture, and cumulative technological evolution.  How we got to be a spectacular anomaly among the life forms on this planet, despite being subject to all the same natural processes, and despite the power of convergent evolution, is one of the most intriguing questions in all of biology.  Professor Hill will discuss ongoing research (mainly empirical work with hunter-gatherer societies) into the combination of traits that may have allowed for human uniqueness, how and when they might have evolved, how they interact, and what pre-adaptations might explain why only humans exhibit such traits as large-scale cooperation between non-kin, and cumulative culture.

Kim Hill is a Professor of Anthropology at Arizona State University.

His theoretical interests are human evolutionary ecology, including focal areas such as foraging theory, time allocation, food sharing, life history evolution, parental investment, cooperation, culture and cognition, the emergence and spread of Homo sapiens and unique characteristics of our species. His field experience involves hunter-gatherers and natives of the Neotropics. He has nearly 30 years of fieldwork with Ache (Paraguay), Hiwi (Venezuela), Mashco-Piro, Matsiguenga and Yora (Peru) and has conducted extensive travels to indigenous communities in Latin America.

Admission Info

Free and open to the public.