Opposable Thumb

Opposable Thumb

Filed under: Brain evolution, cognitive capacities

by Pamela J. Hines (Science  23 Apr 2021:Vol. 372, Issue 6540, pp. 357) Hand bones of australopithecine hominid fossils dated to over 2 million years ago have a long, slender thumb that may have added dexterity. Karakostis et al. add muscle to the story of hand evolution with their analysis of torque at the thumb …

Read More
Brain Evolution

Evolution of the Brain

Filed under: Brain evolution

Numbers indicate Brodmann’s areas BC: Brodmann’s cap LA: lambdoid suture In humans, evolutionary expansion of the inferior prefrontal cortex (IPF) resulted in a shift of the pci toward the posterior side of CO (red arrowheads). Concomitant expansion of the parietal bone resulted in anterior shift (blue arrowheads) of the apical portion of CO. In humans, …

Read More