Tracing the Human Lineage: Fossil Clues and the Evolutionary Ascent of the Brain

Robin Ghosh

Abstract: In the long history of "Organic Evolution" each modern species has its own chapter of evolution. Our own species, Homo sapiens, is, by far, the best evolved species of nature. It has its own evolutionary (phylogenetic or genealogical) history. We already know that, for a successful existence, fins and gills evolved in fishes, wings evolved in insects, birds and bats, and hairs and mammary glands, etc. evolved in mammals. Similarly, evolution of brain has been the main and most significant event in human evolution. That is why, "Man" has emerged as the wisest and supreme being of nature and the human brain qualifies as, so far, the best achievement of evolution. In fact, this is the very basis of naming the present human species as Homo sapiens (sapient = wise). Evolutionary histories or genealogies are mainly framed on the basis of fossils. So scanty, scattered and incomplete our records of excavated fossils are that we can generally frame only plausible genealogies which are, obviously, subject to periodical changes as new fossil finds are added to our records. So is the case with human genealogy also which forms the subject matter of this chapter.

Keywords: Evolution, organic evolution, Intelligence, grasping, sensitivity

How to Cite?: Robin Ghosh, "Tracing the Human Lineage: Fossil Clues and the Evolutionary Ascent of the Brain", Volume 14 Issue 8, August 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 774-787, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR25815172444, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25815172444