Research Paper on:
Overview of Early Hominids

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
within environments and showing behaviors that are consistent with current scientific knowledge. The directors wants to know such information as whether or not trained chimps could take the place  of human actors for some hominids, as well as how these early ancestors of humanity might behave and move. The first scene to be researched features two of humanitys  earliest ancestors, Sahelanthropus tchadensis and Orrorin tugenensis. The fossils of Sahelanthropus tchadensis were discovered in 2002 in Chad in Central Africa (Masibay, 2002). The fossils, which include a nearly complete  cranium (nicknamed "Toumai"), fragments of lower jaws and teeth, date between 6 and 7 million years old, which makes S. tchadensis the oldest hominid species to be discovered  (Masibay, 2002). There is evidence that S. tchadensis was bipedal because the opening at the base of skull is oval (like human beings) rather than round as it is  in chimpanzees (Masibay, 2002). However, these hominids had many apelike characteristics, such as a small brain. The fossil record indicates that they also had characteristics similar to those of  later hominids, i.e. brow ridges and small canine teeth. S. tchadensis comes a period when scientists believe that hominids diverged from chimpanzees (Masibay, 2002). The size of S. tchadensis  suggests that this early hominid was no larger than a modern chimp. However, in order for trained chimps to successfully impersonate S. tchadensis, the problem of bipedal motion would have  to be addressed. The chimps would have to be trained to walk upright at all times, which may be difficult for the modern chimp. The brow ridge over the chimps  eyes would have to be enhanced, as S. tchadensis had an 18-millimeter thick brow ridge (Masibay, 2002). The face of this hominid is also shorter and flatter than a modern