Osher Biennial Master Class I: An Anthology of Anthropogeny
Event Date (Pacific Time):
Wednesday, Oct 2, 2024 - 10:00am to Wednesday, Nov 27, 2024 - 12:00pm
Event Speakers:
Abstracts:
In this series of Osher talks, five UC San Diego scholars address different topics related to human origins research.
Event Sessions:
Media for each talk can be played by clicking on icons in the table below, or by clicking on the individual talk titles below and then the attachment file at the bottom of the page.
| Speakers | Media | Session |
|---|---|---|
 Tatum Simonson |
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Human high-altitude adaptation This lecture focuses on how permanent high-altitude residents have adapted to low oxygen levels in the Himalayan, Andean, and Ethiopian highlands. Important biological factors are key to these adaptations, which vary among continental groups. Recent studies show that different changes lead to similar adaptations in high-altitude Tibetan and Peruvian individuals. These discoveries enhance our knowledge of human evolution and provide valuable insights into how our bodies respond to low oxygen,... read more |
 Pascal Gagneux |
|
The planet-altering ape This lecture will address how humans became “the planet-altering ape” that is now causing the sixth mass extinction and climate change crises and how we can become “the planet-protecting ape.” The evolutionary lineage leading to humans underwent many defining changes since our last common ancestor with chimpanzees: we became bipedal; exploited diverse ecosystems; evolved into top predators; developed complex tools; tamed fire; and developed our most powerful social tool: language. These traits... read more |
 Nicholas Nelson |
|
Anthropogeny Graduate Specialization experience This lecture will share the experience of working towards a Ph.D. in biology at UC San Diego with tales and insights gleaned as a student of human origins in CARTA’s Anthropogeny Graduate Specialization. Nicholas Nelson investigates the neuroscience of chronic pain, yet his most impactful graduate school experience was found outside of the lab. He will share how digging and hunting for food and singing and dancing around the fire with a tribe of hunter-gatherers in Tanzania while on the... read more |
 Rachel Mayberry |
|
How language in the environment shapes the child’s brain Why talk to babies? To grow their brains! Babies don’t talk to us, so why should we talk to them? Do they understand us better when we use high pitched and simplified baby talk? Why do we so often use baby talk with babies anyway? Do babies get confused when we use more than one language with them? Does using sign language help or hurt babies’ language development? Recent research provides answers to these questions, showing how babies learn language and what happens to their brains when they... read more |
 Federico Rossano |
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Animal communication This lecture will explore how different animal species communicate and what is similar and different between human communication and other animals' ways of communicating. We will review different types of animal signaling, the informative vs. manipulative functions of communication, when and why non-human animals communicate and discuss how rare are the vocal learning abilities of humans in the animal kingdom. While presenting examples from several animal species (primates, ravens, bees,... read more |
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