Past Present Future The Rise and Fall of Homo Sapiens
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Nov 23, 2025 
Henry Gee, a palaeontologist and science writer, dives into the fascinating story of Homo sapiens, detailing our origins and ascent to dominance. He explores how early humans used tools, their unique adaptations for bipedalism, and the social structures that supported survival. The conversation also discusses our vulnerability, the replacement of other hominins, and the cognitive advantages that drove cultural development. Gee warns that our peak may signal a drift towards extinction, raising questions about humanity's future in a rapidly changing world.
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Homo Erectus As The True Human Starting Point
- Homo erectus marks the real start of the Homo story with upright posture and endurance running adaptations.
- These traits made long-distance persistence hunting and cooperative hunting viable, shaping later human evolution.
Bipedalism's Hidden Health Costs
- Bipedalism brought profound anatomical trade-offs that increased injuries and chronic problems.
- Henry Gee argues many modern ailments trace back to adapting a spine and organs to upright posture.
Small Populations Made Early Humans Fragile
- Early hominins were always rare and lived in tiny, scattered groups vulnerable to extinction.
- Small population sizes amplified inbreeding and stochastic events that threatened continuity.
