Human evolution

Human evolution

Otherwise known as anthropogeny; anything of or relating to the study of the origin and evolution of Homo sapiens as a distinct species from other hominids, great apes and placental mammals.

Industry: Archaeology

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Human evolution

Honing facet

Archaeology; Human evolution

A worn surface with a sharp edge on the front or back of a tooth that sildes against a similar facet on the opposing tooth in the opposite jaw, producing a scissors-like cutting action.

Essential genes

Archaeology; Human evolution

Genes that when mutated can result in a lethal phenotype.

Plunging termination

Archaeology; Human evolution

The distal end of a flake that turns toward the objective piece removing the lower end of the objective piece, creating a detached piece that has a large distal end relative to the proximal end.

Lexicostatistics

Archaeology; Human evolution

The study of linguistic divergence between two languages, based on changes in a list of common vocabulary terms and the sharing of common root words.

Base analogue

Archaeology; Human evolution

A chemical whose molecular structure is extremely similar to the bases normally found in DNA.

Frameshift mutation

Archaeology; Human evolution

A mutational addition or deletion of a base pair in a gene that disrupts the normal reading frame ofan mRNA, which is read in groups of three bases.

Constitutive gene

Archaeology; Human evolution

AA gene whose products are essential to the normal functioning of the cell, no matter what the life-supporting environmental conditions are. These genes are always active in growing cells.