Biological Anthropology
The scientific study of humans and their primate relatives in a biological, evolutionary, and cultural context.
What is Anthropology?
And how is it different from biological anthropology?
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\(Anthropology\) is the scientific study of humans, human societies, and human cultures. It is a broad and interdisciplinary field that can be broken down into four key subfields: biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and archaeology.
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\(Biological \) \(anthropology \) is a subfield of anthropology that seeks to understand the biological aspects of human existence including evolution, genetics, anatomy, physiology, and more.
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By studying biological anthropology, we gain insights into the evolutionary processes that have shaped the human species. This knowledge helps us comprehend our origins, the development of unique human characteristics, and the factors that led to our current biological makeup.
Fields of Biological Anthropology
Within biological anthropology, there are many different areas of study that can be pursued.
Paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropologists study the fossilized remains of human ancestors and related primates to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the hominin lineage. This includes the examination of skeletal remains, artifacts, and environmental contexts to understand the development of human characteristics over time.
Primatology
Primatologists study non-human primates (such as monkeys and apes) to gain insights into the behavior, ecology, and social organization of both human and non-human primates. This subfield helps researchers understand our closest living relatives and provides a comparative perspective on human evolution.
Genetics and Molecular Anthropology
Geneticists in biological anthropology analyze DNA to trace human evolutionary history, study population genetics, and investigate the genetic basis of human traits. Molecular anthropology also explores how genetics can inform our understanding of human migration patterns and population movements.
Evolutionary Medicine
Evolutionary medicine applies principles of evolutionary biology to understand the origins of human diseases and health-related traits. By considering the evolutionary history of humans, researchers aim to better understand contemporary health issues and inform medical practices.
Forensic Anthropology
Forensic anthropologists apply biological anthropological techniques to aid in the identification of individuals and the determination of cause of death in forensic investigations. This subfield is crucial in legal and criminal investigations.
Human Osteology
This subfield involves the study of human skeletal remains. Human osteologists analyze bones to determine age, sex, health, and other aspects of an individual's life, contributing to bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology.
Evolutionary Psychology
While not exclusively within the domain of biological anthropology, evolutionary psychology explores the evolution of human cognitive and psychological traits. This interdisciplinary field considers how natural selection has shaped mental processes and behaviors.
#LearnMore In A Video...
What is Biological Anthropology?
Meet Alivia Brown—with a major in anthropology and a minor in evolutionary medicine, she takes a deep dive into the field of biological anthropology in this video. What is biological anthropology? What do biological anthropologists study? What does this area of study look like for a college student? Learn all of this and more in a video now.
