Genetic Material Explored to Discern Humanity's Evolutionary Roots
Reimagined Discourse:
diving into the tangled threads of our ancestors, Alice Roberts, a renowned anthropologist, offers enlightening insights. This weekend in Montreal, she'll dissect the astonishing tapestry of evolution and humanity.
Barely giving birth to her second child, she experienced a profound revelation—pregnancy guides overlook the crux of development: the first trimester. "That's when the monumental transformation happens" she admits, "from a couple of cells to a recognizable human embryo."
This epiphany spurred a philosophical exploration of embryology and evolution. "I've always been captivated by the graves that unravel the secrets of past societies. But with this newfound focus, we can trace our roots back hundreds of millions, even billions of years."
The genesis of life involves chemical processes that knit us to all creatures on this planet. "We can trace our origins to our presumed common ancestor, over four billion years ago. We share similar biochemical processes with plants. Then, genetic mutations granted rise to animals, mammals, and ultimately, apes."
The embryo, hatching from a few cells to a human, akin to a retelling of the entirety of evolution.
A four-billion-year expedition in nine months, so to speak.
This realization heralds a new discipline, "evolutionary developmental biology," or "evo-devo." "The idea is to study evolution through comparing the anatomy and physiology of different species, rather than fossils," says Dr. Roberts. "We find our ancient ancestors within ourselves, it's mind-boggling."
In her conference, Dr. Roberts also delves into the creation of the universe.
embracing humanism
Recalling a bond between humans and plants may remind you of pantheism or indigenous spiritualities. Or you might consider the infinitely small—the cell—as a source of mystical awe akin to the starry night.
"It's fascinating to ponder the origin of human consciousness, to be amazed by the thoughts that enabled us to comprehend the world," says Dr. Roberts.
She links this contemplation to her humanist faith. Rooted in humanity, humanism flourished among certain British and American Protestant churches, who questioned God's existence. It finds roots in atheistic philosophies of the French Revolution and sociologist Auguste Comte.
"Humanism is more than a rational approach, but also espouses the idea that humanity realizes itself by interacting with the natural world," says the 51-year-old scientist. "It's an ethics not only for humans, but for all living beings."
from medicine to fame
Born to an engineer and a teacher, Alice Roberts studied medicine. "I was drawn to comparative anatomy," says Dr. Roberts. Her thesis explored shoulder pathologies in humans and apes, and she lectured on paleopathology at various universities, leading the anatomy department at a Welsh medical school from 2009 to 2016.
Invited in 2001 as a bone expert for an archaeological show, she caught the attention of the BBC, who featured her in numerous scientific documentaries on evolution, human migrations, dinosaurs, Celts, and more from 2009 onward.
neanderthals
Which discoveries have left a lasting impact on her work? "Personally, I haven't made any earth-shattering discoveries that graced the cover of Nature. But I've been present when several breakthroughs were made. The most staggering revelation is that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens often formed mixed families across millennia, in various locations."
How did Homo sapiens comprehend the radical otherness of Neanderthals, a species much less evolved? "I think we'll never know. If someone had told me 20 years ago that we could sequence the genome of people who died thousands of years ago, I would have thought it was a pipe dream. But doesn't idealize the meeting between Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals. It might have been brutal."
the crypt
Kickstarting her Canadian tour in Montreal, her latest book, The Crypt, has just been published in England. It's a collection of "osteobiographies," tales based on the bones of people who died centuries ago, a follow-up to Buried, focusing on funeral rites.
Bones whisper secrets from eras when no writing existed, or only the rich and powerful wrote.
"For example, we've deduced that in Bronze Age England, men, not women, migrated villages when they married. That probably means women inherited, rather than men. The Romans spoke of powerful Celtic queens, such as Boudica and Cartimandua, when they invaded England."
The conclusion extracted from osteobiography shows that sugar significantly impacted European societies. "In the Middle Ages, people had healthy teeth. But from the 16th century onwards, we see teeth rotten with decay in young adults. That's due to sugar."
cancer and osteoarthritis
What will bone historians from the future say about our bones? "They'll observe the dramatic increase in life expectancy in the 20th century, thanks to medicine and the fight against infant infections. Before, it wasn't uncommon for half of a woman's children not to reach adulthood. Now, that happens very rarely, even in developing countries."
As a result, our bones will reveal to future researchers the rise in cancer cases, a disease linked to aging. "And by looking at the number of people with knee osteoarthritis, they'll deduce that obesity was much more prevalent in the past."
Dr. Roberts delves into the connection between human development and other fields, stating, "The study of evolution can be linked to health-and-wellness, as understanding our ancestors helps us make informed choices about our own health and fitness-and-exercise."
In her exploration of human consciousness, Dr. Roberts also discusses education-and-self-development, saying, "Pondering the origin of human consciousness is not only fascinating but also plays a crucial role in understanding our place in the universe, from space-and-astronomy to our own self-development."
Dr. Roberts' work in paleopathology and osteobiography has uncovered various aspects of history, illuminating the past and providing insights into the lives of our ancestors, reflecting the importance of education-and-self-development in understanding our roots and our place in the world.
