. Earth Science News .
ABOUT US
Human ancestors explored 'out of Africa' despite impaired nasal faculties
by Staff Writers
London, UK (SPX) Mar 29, 2016


Human ancestors explored "Out of Africa" despite impaired nasal faculties. In humans inhaled air is conditioned poorly in the nasal cavity in comparison with primates, such as chimpanzees and macaques, according a recent study published in PLOS Computational Biology. Image courtesy Nishimura et al. For a larger version of this image please go here.

In humans inhaled air is conditioned poorly in the nasal cavity in comparison with primates, such as chimpanzees and macaques, according a recent study published in PLOS Computational Biology.

Unlike our protruding external nose, which has little effect on improving air conditioning performance, other hominins (including australopithecines) were endowed with flat nasal features and faculties to improve air conditioning.

The study, produced by Dr Takeshi Nishimura from Kyoto University and colleagues, is the first investigation of nasal air conditioning in nonhuman hominoids based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The human nasal passage conditions inhaled air in terms of temperature and humidity to match the conditions required in the lung.

Insufficient conditioning can damage the tissues in the respiratory system and impair respiratory performance, thereby undermining health and increasing the likelihood of death.

Our ancestors, the genus Homo, diversified under the fluctuating climate of the Plio-Pleistocene, to be flat-faced with a short nasal cavity and a protruding external nose, as seen in modern humans.

Anatomical variation in nasal region is believed to be evolutionarily sensitive to the ambient atmospheric conditions of a given habitat, but the nasal anatomy of early Homo was not sensitive to the ambient atmosphere conditions.

The inhaled air can be fully conditioned subsequently in the pharyngeal cavity, which was lengthened in early Homo.

This study highlights the importance of compensating human evolution, as well as adaptive evolution. The diversification of Pleistocene hominins is a major evolutionary event in terms of understanding human evolution.

These linked changes in the nasal and pharyngeal regions would in part have contributed to how flat-faced Homo members must have survived fluctuations in climate, before they moved "Out of Africa" in the Early Pleistocene to explore the more severe climates and ecological environments of Eurasia.

Research paper: Nishimura T, Mori F, Hanida S, Kumahata K, Ishikawa S, Samarat K, et al. (2016) Impaired Air Conditioning within the Nasal Cavity in Flat-Faced Homo. PLoS Comput Biol 12(3): e1004807.doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004807


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
PLOS
All About Human Beings and How We Got To Be Here






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
ABOUT US
Researchers find ancient DNA preserved in modern-day humans
Binghamton NY (SPX) Mar 22, 2016
Residents of the remote equatorial islands of Melanesia share fragments of genetic code with two extinct human species. That's the key finding of a new study published in the journal Science. An international team contributed to the research, which compared the DNA sequences of 35 modern people living on islands off the coast of New Guinea with DNA drawn from two early human species: Denisovans, ... read more


ABOUT US
TEPCO bungles Fukushima cleanup as robots damaged by Radiation

Sierra Leone begins destroying stockpile of 'unuseable' arms

Prince Harry extends Nepal trip to help quake victims

Asia most exposed to disasters, Africa most vulnerable: study

ABOUT US
A new model for how twisted bundles take shape

Local fingerprint of hydrogen bonding captured in experiments

Lehigh scientists extend the reach of single crystals

A new-structure magnetic memory device developed

ABOUT US
Protecting coral reefs with bubbles

Bolivia to take Chile to court over water dispute

World's nations gather to rescue ocean life

In Florida, calls to keep 'saving the manatees'

ABOUT US
Digging deeper: Study improves permafrost models, reduces uncertainties

A glance into the future of the Arctic

Climate warming accelerating carbon loss from thawing Arctic soils

Nature study reveals rapid ice-wedge loss across Arctic

ABOUT US
Greenhouse gas mitigation potential from livestock sector revealed

Government use of technology has potential to increase food security

US senators see security risk in China's takeover of Syngenta

Production of butter from shea trees in West Africa pushed back 1,000 years

ABOUT US
Wetland enhancement in Midwest could help reduce catastrophic floods of the future

Pakistan rains leave 42 dead: officials

Japan's tsunami: Five things after five years

Pakistan rains leave 28 dead: officials

ABOUT US
Nigerian troops free 800 Boko Haram hostages: army

Burundi soldier kills colonel blamed in crackdown: source

Niger president scores landslide win in boycotted run-off

Kenya army says killed 34 Shebab in Somalia firefights

ABOUT US
Why did humans make more pottery after the last ice age?

Ancient Denisovan DNA excavated in modern Pacific Islanders

Researchers find ancient DNA preserved in modern-day humans

400,000-year-old fossils from Spain provide earliest genetic evidence of Neandertals









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.