human evolution: walking tall
Human Evolution: Walking Tall This video about human evolution focuses on the differences between the human skeleton and the skeleton of the chimpanzee, our closest living relative.On the ground, chimpanzees use a technique called knuckle-walking. They walk on all fours, but they can also walk on two legs for short distances. Chimpanzees cannot extend their knees and lock their legs straight as humans can. Although this may be viewed as a disadvantage for chimpanzees, walking on all fours works well for their habitat. Humans that lock their knees while standing straight and are double jointed will predispose them to a bad back later in life. Humans spines have evolved to bear weight and stress which will also cause humans to have back injuries and back pain later in life. When humans began walking on two legs, which caused a series of modifications to take place in the human skeletal system. In humans, the spinal cord comes out of the base of the skull, called the foramen magnum and goes straight downwards. While in chimpanzees the spinal cord comes out of the back of the skull. The chimpanzees pelvis is long and narrow. Humans pelvis is short and squat; broad and wide. Our feet also adapted to walking upright. Our feet have arches, and our spine has a double curve, which brings our heads and torsos into a vertical line above our feet. Unlike chimpanzees who walk with their knees far apart, humans walk with their knees close together. These minor differences are the results evolution. Evolution changed humans to a biped; an animal with two