The Evolution of the Human Head

In one sense, human heads function much like those of other mammals. We use them to chew, smell, swallow, think, hear, and so on. But, in other respects, the human head is quite unusual. Unlike other animals, even our great ape cousins, our heads are short and wide, very big brained, snoutless, largely furless, and perched on a short, nearly vertical neck. Daniel E. Lieberman sets out to explain how the human head works, and why our heads evolved in this peculiarly human way. Exhaustively researched and years in the making, this innovative book documents how the many components of the head function, how they evolved since we diverged from the apes, and how they interact in diverse ways both functionally and developmentally, causing them to be highly integrated. This integration not only permits the head’s many units to accommodate each other as they grow and work, but also facilitates evolutionary change. Lieberman shows how, when, and why the major transformations evident in the evolution of the human head occurred. The special way the head is integrated, Lieberman argues, made it possible for a few developmental shifts to have had widespread effects on craniofacial growth, yet still permit the head to function exquisitely. This is the first book to explore in depth what happened in human evolution by integrating principles of development and functional morphology with the hominin fossil record. The Evolution of the Human Head will permanently change the study of human evolution and has widespread ramifications for thinking about other branches of evolutionary biology. (20110130) From the publisher. In one sense, human heads function much like those of other mammals. We use them to chew, smell, swallow, think, hear, and so on. But, in other respects, the human head is quite unusual. Unlike other animals, even our great ape cousins, our heads are short and wide, very big brained, snoutless, largely furless, and perched on a short, nearly vertical neck. Daniel E. Lieberman sets out to explain how the human head works, and why our heads evolved in this peculiarly human way. Exhaustively researched and years in the making, this innovative book documents how the many components of the head function, how they evolved since we diverged from the apes, and how they interact in diverse ways both functionally and developmentally, causing them to be highly integrated. This integration not only permits the head's many units to accommodate each other as they grow and work, but also facilitates evolutionary change. Lieberman shows how, when, and why the major transformations evident in the evolution of the human head occurred. The special way the head is integrated, Lieberman argues, made it possible for a few developmental shifts to have had widespread effects on craniofacial growth, yet still permit the head to function exquisitely. This is the first book to explore in depth what happened in human evolution by integrating principles of development and functional morphology with the hominin fossil record. The Evolution of the Human Head will permanently change the study of human evolution and has widespread ramifications for thinking about other branches of evolutionary biology In one sense, human heads function much like those of other mammals. We use them to chew, smell, swallow, think, hear, and so on. But, in other respects, the human head is quite unusual. Unlike other animals, even our great ape cousins, our heads are short and wide, very big brained, snoutless, largely furless, and perched on a short, nearly vertical neck. Daniel E. Lieberman sets out to explain how the human head works, and why our heads evolved in this peculiarly human way.Exhaustively researched and years in the making, this innovative book documents how the many components of the head function, how they evolved since we diverged from the apes, and how they interact in diverse ways both functionally and developmentally, causing them to be highly integrated. This integration not only permits the head’s many units to accommodate each other as they grow and work, but also facilitates evolutionary change. Lieberman shows how, when, and why the major transformations evident in the evolution of the human head occurred. The special way the head is integrated, Lieberman argues, made it possible for a few developmental shifts to have had widespread effects on craniofacial growth, yet still permit the head to function exquisitely.This is the first book to explore in depth what happened in human evolution by integrating principles of development and functional morphology with the hominin fossil record. The Evolution of the Human Head will permanently change the study of human evolution and has widespread ramifications for thinking about other branches of evolutionary biology. In one sense, human heads function much like those of other mammals. We use them to chew, smell, swallow, think, hear, and so on. But, in other respects, the human head is quite unusual. Unlike the heads of other animals, even our great ape cousins, our heads are short and wide, very big brained, snoutless, largely furless, and perched on a short, nearly vertical neck. Daniel E. Lieberman sets out to explain how the human head works, and why our heads evolved in this peculiarly human way. Exhaustively researched and years in the making, this innovative book documents how the many components of the head function, how they evolved since we diverged from the apes, and how they interact in diverse ways both functionally and developmentally, causing them to be highly integrated. This integration not only permits the head's many units to accommodate each other as they grow and work, but also facilitates evolutionary change. Lieberman shows how, when, and why the major transformations evident in the evolution of the human head occurred. The special way the head is integrated, Lieberman argues, made it possible for a few developmental shifts to have had widespread effects on craniofacial growth, yet still permit the head to function exquisitely. This is the first book to explore in depth what happened in human evolution by integrating principles of development and functional morphology with the hominin fossil record. The Evolution of the Human Head will permanently change the study of human evolution and has widespread ramifications for thinking about other branches of evolutionary biology In one sense, human heads function much like those of othermammals. We use them to chew, smell, swallow, think, hear, and soon. But, in other respects, the human head is quite unusual. Unlikeother animals, even our great ape cousins, our heads are short andwide, very big brained, snoutless, largely furless, and perched ona short, nearly vertical neck. Daniel E. Liebermansets out to explain how the human head works, and why our headsevolved in this peculiarly human way. Exhaustively researched andyears in the making, this innovative book documents how the manycomponents of the head function, how they evolved since we divergedfrom the apes, and how they interact in diverse ways bothfunctionally and developmentally, causing them to be highlyintegrated. This integration not only permits the head's many unitsto accommodate each other as they grow and work, but alsofacilitates evolutionary change. Lieberman shows how, when, and whythe major transformations evident in the evolution of the humanhead occurred. The special way the head is integrated, Liebermanargues, made it possible for a few developmental shifts to have hadwidespread effects on craniofacial growth, yet still permit thehead to function exquisitely. This is the first book to explore indepth what happened in human evolution by integrating principles ofdevelopment and functional morphology with the hominin fossilrecord. The Evolution of the Human Head will permanentlychange the study of human evolution and has widespreadramifications for thinking about other branches of evolutionarybiology Dan Lieberman has written an innovative, exhaustively researched and carefully argued book dealing with the evolution of the human head. In it he addresses three interrelated questions. First, why does the human head look the way it does? Second, why did these transformations occur? And third, how is something as complex and vital as the head so variable and evolvable? This book addresses these questions in three sections. The first set of chapters review how human and ape heads grow, both in terms of individual parts (organs and regions) and as an integrated whole. The second section reviews how the head performs its major functions: housing the brain, chewing, swallowing, breathing, vocalizing, thermoregulating, seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and balancing during locomotion. The final set of chapters review the fossil evidence for major transformations of the head during human evolution from the divergence of the human and ape lineages through the origins of Homo sapiens. These chapters use developmental and functional insights from the first two sections to speculate on the developmental and selective bases for these transformations Contents......Page 8 Preface: Heads Up......Page 10 1. A Tinkered Ape?......Page 14 2. The Skeletal Tissues of the Head......Page 31 3. Setting the Stage: Embryonic Development of the Head......Page 69 4. Modular Growth of the Fetal and Postnatal Head......Page 109 5. Integration of the Head during Fetal and Postnatal Growth......Page 157 6. The Brain and the Skull......Page 195 7. You Are How You Eat: Chewing and the Head......Page 237 8. Pharynx, Larynx, Tongue, and Lung......Page 294 9. Holding Up and Moving the Head......Page 351 10. Sense and Sensitivity: Vision, Hearing, Olfaction, and Taste......Page 387 11. Early Hominin Heads......Page 427 12. Ecce Early Homo......Page 488 13. The Evolution of the Head in Homo sapiens......Page 540 14. Final Thoughts and Speculations......Page 617 Glossary......Page 628 References......Page 640 Acknowledgments......Page 740 Index......Page 742 Preface : Heads Up -- A Tinkered Ape? -- The Skeletal Tissues Of The Head -- Setting The Stage : Embryonic Development Of The Head -- Modular Growth Of The Fetal And Postnatal Head -- Integration Of The Head During Fetal And Postnatal Growth -- The Brain And The Skull -- You Are How You Eat : Chewing And The Head -- Pharynx, Larynx, Tongue, And Lung -- Holding Up And Moving The Head -- Sense And Sensitivity : Vision, Hearing, Olfaction, And Taste -- Early Hominin Heads -- Ecce Early Homo -- The Evolution Of The Head In Homo Sapiens -- Final Thoughts And Speculations. Daniel E. Lieberman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [627]-725) And Index. Preface: heads up A tinkered ape? The skeletal tissues of the head Setting the stage: embryonic development of the head Modular growth of the fetal and postnatal skull Integration of the fetal and postnatal head The brain and the skull You are how you eat: chewing and the head Pharynx, larynx, tongue, and lung Holding up and moving the head Sense and sensitivity: vision, hearing, olfaction, and taste Early hominin heads Ecce early homo The evolution of the head in homo sapiens Final thoughts and speculations.