Homo Sapiens Collection (#8)

Exhibit from the Human Biology gallery
Close up of exhibit in the Human Biology gallery. A model of a human head illustrating the computing functions of the human brain

Human (Homo sapiens) Femur and Patella
The ball joint from the top end of a human femur and a patella (knee cap) which once belonged to a victim of the Mount Vesuvius eruption of AD 79 which buried the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii

Flint hand axe (label)
Photograph of a human-made hand axe, which was discovered in 1859, and is thought to be about 400, 000 years old. This close-up of the label shows the date and initials J.P, for John Prestwich

Selection of Homo sapiens Crania
Left to right: Modern European Skull, Predmosti Czech Republic modern human skull, Early Homo sapiens skull from Zhoukoudian, recent human skull from China

Homo sapiens crania
Two crania belonging to early Homo sapiens dating back to around 30, 000 years old from upper cave site Zhoukoudian, China

Early Homo sapiens crania (Irhoud 1 & Qafzeh 6)
Left: Cranium (cast) of early Homo sapiens discovered at Jebel Irhoud, Morocco by Mohammed Ben Fatmi in 1961. Right: Cranium (cast) of early Homo sapiens discovered at Djebel kafzeh, Israel by R

Spiracles & gut from Dermatobia hominis
Spiracles and gut from botfly larva (Dermatobia hominis) extracted in London. Photographed by Martin Hall

Triatoma brasiliensis, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Cavernicola pilosa, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Belminus sp. triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Dipetalogaster maxima, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Eratyrus mucronatus, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Panstrongylus geniculatus, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Panstrongylus megistus, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Psammolestes tertius, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Rhodnius pictipes, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Triatoma migrans, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Triatoma cavernicola, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Rhodnius prolixus, C
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Triatoma costalimi, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Triatoma pallidipennis, triatomine bug

Triatoma rubrovaria, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Triatoma rubrofasciata, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Triatoma sordida, triatomine bug
This insect is a member of the Triatomine group, which are associated with the transmission of disease to humans

Homo sapiens, human mandible
A specimen of a modern human mandible, or jaw bone with a complete set of teeth. Specimen held at the Natural History Museum, London

Sivapithecus & human mandible
A human mandible (on the left) compared with a Sivapithecus mandible. Sivapithecus, an extinct ape from the Miocene, is believed to have lived 9 million years ago

Homo sapiens brain
A cast of a human (Homo sapiens) brain held at the Natural History Museum, London

Homo sapiens, Australopithecus, Neanderthal and Pan troglody
A display of models of hominids, including human, Australopithecus, Neanderthal and chimpanzee, on display in the Life Galleries at the Natural History Museum, London

Homo sapiens, Human cranium with brain
A model of a human (Homo sapiens) skull showing the brain the brain case. Held at The Natural History Museum, London

A Swanscombe Hand Axe
One of many hand axes that have been discovered at the Homo neanderthalensis site of Swanscombe, Kent which was inhabited about 500, 000 to 300, 000 years ago

Human biology
Find out about the different kinds of memory we use, the Human biology gallery

Modern Homo sapiens. A range of human remains (cranial and p
Cranium fragments belonging to Modern Homo sapiens dating back 12, 000 years ago discovered at Goughs Cave, Cheddar Gorge, Somerset

Modern Homo sapiens cranium (Skhul V)
A front view of a cast of Skhul V discovered in 1932 on Mount Carmel, Israel. The original specimen is held at Harvards Peabody Museum. This specimen dates between 80, 000 and 100, 000 years old

Modern Homo sapiens skull (Skhul V)
A three-quarter view of a cast reconstruction of fragments of skull discovered at the Skhul Cave, Israel. This specimen dates back to 105, 000 years ago. It is known as Skhul V

Homo sapiens skeleton
An illustration showing a male human skeleton, page 40 from Histoire de la Nature by P Belon, 1555. In the publication this is ompared with skeleton of a bird on page 41. (See image 6887)

Pleistocene hunters, wider view
Pleistocene (1.8 million years ago - 11, 000 years ago) hunting party with mammoths and rhinoceros

Excavations, Norfolk 2006
A team of anthropologists busy working on excavations revealing ancient human occupation on the Norfolk coast, 2006. Animal remains

Cybernetic evolution. Conceptual computer artwork of the evolution of a cybernetic human. From left to right, the sequence shows the stages that led, over more than a billion years

Primate evolution. Historical artwork of various primate skeletons, showing their evolutionary similarities and differences

Human and ape hands. Historical artwork of the hand of a human (left) and a barbary ape (Macaca sylvanus, right). The skin has been removed to reveal the underlying muscles and tendons

Prehistoric humans and animals
Prehistoric humans and mammals, historical artwork. The mammals at upper left are a woolly mammoth, a large deer and a woolly rhinoceros. At lower left are a bear, a horse and wolves

Eves footprints. Cast of fossilised footprints made by an early modern human (Homo sapiens) about 117, 000 years ago. The prints were formed in wet sand by a small person

Neanderthal and Homo sapiens
Neanderthal (left) and Homo sapiens (right) females, artwork. Neanderthals were shorter and more heavily built than modern humans, who are taller and slenderer

Mesolithic culture. Artwork showing Mesolithic villagers with weapons (left) and plucking a bird (right). The Mesolithic is a period of the Stone Age, with dates varying from region to region

1868 Cro Magnon 1 Lartet first discovery
Chromolithograph Cromagnon " Skull of an old man" Plate 1, Section C. Edouard Lartet and Henry Christy. " Reliquiae Aquitanicae" 1865-1875, Williams and Norgate, London 1875

Prehistoric shamanism. Artwork of a shaman engaging in a ritual dance in front of a cave painting of a bison (upper left)

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Homo sapiens, the remarkable species that we are, have come a long way in our evolutionary journey. From the early stages of Australopithecus and Homo habilis to the modern-day Homo sapiens, our development has been nothing short of extraordinary. The sensory homunculus and motor homunculus illustrate how different parts of our body are represented in our brain's cortex. These maps show just how intricately connected we are as beings capable of perceiving and interacting with the world around us. Through various stages in human evolution, we have witnessed significant changes. The discovery of Homo erectus (Sangiran 17) shed light on our ancestors' ability to walk upright, marking a crucial milestone in our development. Coexisting with other subspecies like H. Neanderthalensis further emphasizes the diversity within our lineage. Illustrations showcasing Australopithecus, Homo habilis, and Homo sapiens skulls highlight the gradual transformation from ape-like features to more human-like characteristics over time. Our journey has not only shaped us externally but internally as well – from vital organs like the liver to intricate structures like human cells. Comparisons between primate skulls reveal similarities and differences among species closely related to us. Cro-magnon and Neanderthal skull comparisons provide insights into ancient humans' physical variations while emphasizing their shared ancestry. Artwork depicting hominid reconstructions chronologically showcases how each stage built upon its predecessor – an awe-inspiring testament to millions of years of evolution unfolding before us. However fascinating this story may be, it is essential not to forget about potential threats that still exist today. For instance, Triatoma infestans or 'kissing bug, ' known for transmitting Chagas disease remains a concern even for modern-day homo sapiens. Homo sapiens stand at the pinnacle of biological evolution – a culmination of countless generations adapting and evolving through time.