Interesting Gutsick Gibbon article

<https://youtu.be/GosX5-kuWUs>

For those who don't know, Gutsick Gibbon is the Youtube handle for a
PhD student in Biological Anthropology.  This particular video
discusses this recent paper:

<https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08205-2>

It got my attention for two reasons.  First, it describes a
non-destructive method for analyzing the growth patterns of fossil
teeth, using propagation phase-contrast synchrotron microtomography. 

Second, the authors used that method to compare the tooth ontogeny of
several fossil hominids and modern apes.  Using these patterns as
proxy for overall physical development, the authors concluded that
early hominids' growth patterns were more similar to modern
chimpanzees, and different fossil hominids' growth patterns evolved to
become more similar to modern humans over time. 

Finally, the authors raise the question of whether the inferred
life-history characteristics of early Homo reflect an evolutionary
change in reproduction strategies, before substantial brain expansion
and reorganization, and before a general slow-down in life history.

Paraphrasing Gutsick Gibbon, it was early tool use three million years
ago, which altered the selective pressures for large teeth and jaws,
which in turn allowed developmental changes for extended childhood,
which preceded the large increase in brain size.

Discuss or ignore, as you will.


--
To know less than we don't know is the nature of most knowledge