Humans are part of the hominid family. They are both part of and descended from them. The process of this development is called evolution. In brief, this means that new species develop and expand as they are better at dealing with their environment then others. See: http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/evolution98/front.html
for a discussion of the evolution process.

The hominids include humans and the apes. They are part of the family Hominidae, of the order Primate. Humans did not "descend from the apes" We share a common ancestor with them and are considered "cousins." Chimpanzees, our closest relative, share a 99% match in DNA. In protein sequencing, the match is closer, no differences at all. When man's protein sequencing is compared to gorillas there is only two differences in the match with hemoglobin, red blood cells and amino acids. Lastly the antgen-antibody reaction for humans is 97% from chimpanzees compared to 50% for baboons. In other words we're related. DNA is today used to show how closely people are related (as in determining paternity) and to determine if people were at a crime scene (as a means to determine guilt or innocence). It also is used to determine how long ago species split off from each other.

The split from the apes is put at 8 million years ago. That's based both on the fossil remains and the know rate of change for DNA. The first bipedal hominids (walking on two feet) is 4 million years ago. The first known bipedal hominids were the Australopithecus. ("Southern Ape") There are several known types and the exact lineage is still being argued. The known family tree is:

Australopithecus afarenis "Southern Ape of Afar" This is the species "Lucy" belongs to. Brain size is about 410cc, they stood between 3 and 4 feet and weighed about 65 pounds. They went extinct about 2.5 million years ago.

Australopithecus africanus "Southern Ape of Africa" Probably evolved from Australopithecus afarenis and lived 3 to 1 million years ago. Brain size was about the same as a gorilla's and they stood between 3 and 4 feet tall. Weight was about 45 to 90 pounds.

Australopithecus robustis "Robust Southern Ape" This species is larger then Australopithecus africanus , 4 feet 11 inches and 5 feet 7 inches, and weighed 110-154 pounds. Brain size is put at 500cc. This group lived 2.5 million to 1.5 million years ago. There is argument that robustis was the male of the afarenis or africanus species.

Australopithecus boisei "Bosie Southern Ape" boisei is named after one Charles Boise and supporter of fossil hunts. The original name was Zinjanthropus "East Africa man" The species lived 2.5 to 1 million years ago. Height was between 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 10 inches. Weight was between 132 and 176 pounds. Brain size was about 500cc. boisei is nicknamed "Nutcracker man" due to its large jaw and massive grinding teeth. However, examination has shown that it could chew no harder then us and it's diet seems to have primarily been of leaves.

Homo habilis "Handy man" This is reported to be the first known species of the genus Homo. The brain is larger the Australopithecus, 650-800cc compared to 500cc, the arms shorter, and hip bones that facilitated bipedal walking. Body size was reduced from boisei and robustis, back to between four and five feet. Weight is put at 110 pounds. The species is dated at 2.5 to 1.5 million years ago. Habilis was a throw back in that the head had not changed with the rest of the body. It still retained the brow ridges, jaws and nose of the Australopithecus. In fact, some discoveries were so labeled.

Homo erectus "Upright Man") was the first hominid to leave Africa. His existence dates from 1.6 million years ago to perhaps 200,000 years ago. However, recent discovers have suggested that isolated populations may have existed even later.

Brain size is put at 850cc, height up to 6 feet and weight was comparable to modern humans.

Early discoveries of Homo Eretus remains were variously named Peking Man, Java Man and Heidelberg Man. His range was all of Africa, most of Europe and as far east as China. Sites in California have been suggested as containing Homo erectus finds. No one had satisfactorily explained how the vast distance from China to California was crossed. Recently a small sample the population of China was tested to determine their DNA. The theory tested was that man developed in Africa, spread out and then further developed in China. What was found suggested that waves of hominids came out of Africa, each developed the race further. The idea how having man develop in several regions and not just Africa has supporters as does the "out of Africa" theory.

Homo sapiens neanderthalenis "Man from the Neander Valley" This species is today considered a "dead end," someone that did not give rise to Homo sapiens sapiens. The latest support has come from DNA analysis of his bones. They don't match with Homo sapiens sapiens. In other words, humans did not develop fro the Neandertals. Neandertals are larger in body then modern humans with massive bones. They have short, compact bodies, with large joints and hands. The body shape suggests they were well adapted to cold environments. They are dated between 200,000 to 30,000 years ago. In some sites (the Middle East at Jebel Irhoud, Tabun, and Skhul) the two species (Homo sapiens, and Homo sapiens neanderthalenis) lived near each other. It has been suggested that an archaic Homo sapiens gave rise to the species. They had to date been found only in Europe and the Middle East. It has been suggested that while the species was successful, they may have a a lower birth rate then the early humans. Given only a 2% lower rate per generation would lead to extenuation.

Homo sapiens "Man who thinks" The archaic form is dated between 500,000 and 150,000 years ago. Brain size is about 1200cc. The species shows links and the characteristic of Homo erectus.

Homo sapiens sapiens Modern man. The first know group appears some 40,000 years ago during the Neolithic period. However, new finds are pushing that date back.

There are multiple theories of how people came to the Americas. Several of the theories share similar facts. The Bering Land Bridge and the Pacific Coastal Route both have the first people coming into the Americas from Siberia. The Pacific Route suggests that people sailed the South Pacific to colonize first South America then move north into North America. Finally the Atlantic Route has people following the pack ice from Europe to the Americas.

Here are the theories and discussion:

Bering Land Bridge

During the great ice age, the great ice sheets locked up much of the world's water. The sea level dropped as much as 300 feet. This greatly changed the shape of the coastlines. What was, and is now, the Bering Strait became dry land. Asia and the Americas were connected. The exposed sea bottom has been named "Beringia."

Beringia is generally thought to have been a flat plain, dry and dusty. It did support plant and animal life. Nomadic hunters followed the game animals. This eventually lead them into North America. They never knew when they crossed over to a new world.

Once in the Americas, they found the passage south blocked. The ice sheets from the Rockies had merged with the ones from the Hudson Bay region. An important part about the Bering land bridge was that when it existed, the ice blocked the way to what would be the United States. When the ice melted, the land bridge disappeared.

The major problem with the theory is that there are archeological sites found all over North America with about the same carbon-14 date. (10,500- 12,500 BCE). The southern tip of South America has sites dated to just 1,000 years later. That's quite a movement of people. Supporters must find an explanation to how the ice could retreat and people could colonize the Americas so quickly.

To do so they point to an ice free corridor that opened between the Hudson Bay and Rocky Mountain ice sheets. Once opened and "greened up" with plants and animals, this created a pathway for people to enter the new lands.

Excavations along the supposed route do not fully support the theory. There should be datable sites and a fairly haven travel pattern.

Another issue is the rate that the Americas were occupied. Most explanations go "If a group of hunters moved only 25 miles south in each generation..." The however is that mountain ranges, climatic changes and distribution of plant and animals are not uniformed. Most nomadic groups tend to stay in familiar lands and exploit the resources that they have learned about. It's only later, when a group splits or famine threatens that they move.

Pacific Coastal Route Theory

This is similar to the Bering Land Bridge theory. People came across through Beringia and settled the Americas. However, they used boats and followed the Pacific coastline.

Recent investigations have shown that there were small refuges along the western coastline. Sea faring peoples could have migrated south along the coast. However, finding their campsites now requires exploration in deep water. A few years ago, there was a dredging operation. Sites were selected based on the expected coastline of 10,000 plus years ago and on the known required for a camping spot. This yielded a manmade stone tool.

The Clovis toolkit uses a toggle shaft system. The projectile point is hafted to a short foreshaft. This then fits into a socket of a longer shaft. Such a system is often used in hunting sea mammals.

Archeological finds in Indonesia and Australia, show that Homo Erects di cross some significant ocean passages. The first Australians had to cross 60 mil

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