Question

Biological anthropologists have discovered a previously unknown fossil species. The species lived about 4.4 million years ago in Africa. The dating of this fossil species places it closer in time to the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees than most other known fossil species. This newly discovered species has an interesting mix of traits. For example, it has adaptations for climbing in trees as well as for walking on two legs on the ground. It does not directly resemble any of the living ape species, which suggests that the living ape species (including humans) have each become adapted for their own environmental contexts over time. What is the primary subfield of biological anthropology addressed in this research? Group of answer choices primatology human biology forensic anthropology paleoanthropology

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct response is paleoanthropology.

Explanation:

Paleoanthropology is the branch of anthropology that examines the origins of early humans and theorizes about their evolutionary development.  Dating of fossils requires technical knowledge related more to the physical sciences through understandings of geologic strata, radioactive-decay rates, and other chemical and genetic tests.  Physical anthropologists study past populations of fossil hominins and nonhuman primates in order to try to piece together the evolutionary history of our closely related species.