Biological anthropology is a subfield of anthropology that focuses on the biological and physical aspects of human beings, past and present. Also known as physical anthropology, it encompasses a wide range of research areas, including human evolution, primatology, human genetics, forensic anthropology, and the study of human variation.

One of the primary goals of biological anthropology is to understand the evolutionary history of humans and our closest relatives, such as the great apes. Researchers in this field study the physical characteristics and behaviors of these species to identify similarities and differences, and to reconstruct the evolutionary pathways that led to the emergence of modern humans.

Paleontology is the study of fossils, which are the remains or traces of ancient organisms that have been preserved in rocks and other geological formations. Paleontologists use these fossils to reconstruct the history of life on Earth, from the earliest single-celled organisms to the complex creatures that exist today.

One of the primary goals of paleontology is to understand the evolution of life on Earth. By studying the fossils of different species, paleontologists can identify changes in morphology, behavior, and distribution over time, and use this information to create a timeline of evolutionary events. This research has helped to answer many fundamental questions about the origins of life, the diversification of species, and the relationships between different groups of organisms.

Another important area of paleontological research is the study of ancient environments. Fossils can provide important clues about the geological and climatic conditions that existed in the past, including the types of plants and animals that lived in different regions, the patterns of migration and dispersal, and the impact of catastrophic events such as mass extinctions. This research is crucial for understanding the history of the planet and for predicting the effects of current and future environmental changes.

Paleoanthropology, also called Human Paleontology, is the synthesis of biological anthropology with the field of paleontology. Paleoanthropology takes all of the aspects of traditional paleontology and combines them with the passion to understand our biological human origins. It is one of the most data driven subdisciplines within the massive umbrella of anthropology.

Over the next several weeks, I will be introducing you to the rich field of paleoanthropology. We will learn about the origins of the field and some of the pitfalls of early field research in human paleontology. We will meet many of the iconic fossils that represent the thousands of fossilized remains of some of our earliest ancestors. We will also learn about the science behind the numbers and the cutting edge techniques researchers use to extract information about the times in which our ancestors lived, the environments in which they thrived, and even the types of foods that they ate.

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