The big picture of physical anthropology.

Exploring Physical Anthropology is a comprehensive, full-color lab manual intended for an introductory laboratory course in physical anthropology. It can also serve as a supplementary workbook for a lecture class, particularly in the absence of a laboratory offering. This laboratory manual enables a hands-on approach to learning about the evolutionary processes that resulted in humans through the use of numerous examples and exercises. It offers a solid grounding in the main areas of an introductory physical anthropology lab course: genetics, evolutionary forces, human osteology, forensic anthropology, comparative/functional skeletal anatomy, primate behavior, paleoanthropology, and modern human biological variation.

The most relevant, interactive, and up-to-date learning experience

The Third Edition of this best-selling text now includes an update to the evolutionary primate taxonomy and even more tools to help students grasp the major concepts in physical anthropology—including new, photorealistic art.

Histories of American Physical Anthropology in the Twentieth Century chronicles the history of physical anthropology--or, as it is now known, biological anthropology--from its professional origins in the late 1800 up to its modern transformation in the late 1900s. In this edited volume, 13 contributors trace the development of people, ideas, traditions, and organizations that contributed to the advancement of this branch of anthropology that focuses today on human variation and human evolution. Designed for upper level undergraduate students, graduate students, and professional biological anthropologists, this book provides a brief and accessible history of the biobehavioral side of anthropology in America.

Concise, well-balanced, and comprehensive, ESSENTIALS OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Eighth Edition introduces you to physical anthropology with the goal of helping you understand the big picture of human evolution. Supported by vibrant visuals that include abundant illustrations, photographs, and photo-enhanced maps, the text focuses on human evolution and biology to help you master basic biological principles of physical anthropology so you'll be able to better understand human origins and our place in the biological world. Offering balanced coverage of the topic areas you'll cover in class (heredity and evolution, primates, hominid evolution, and contemporary human evolution) this edition emphasizes the chronology of fossil finds instead of just describing the fossils and the sites where they were found. The authors also interpret each fossil within the framework of the story of human evolution. New features like "Why It Matters" further emphasize the fossils' evolutionary significance, and often even propose the relevance of chapter materials to our everyday lives. The seventh edition provides thorough coverage of cutting-edge advances in molecular biology and expanded coverage of population biology and human variation. It also includes powerful learning tools, including a robust text website. Altogether, ESSENTIALS OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Seventh Edition, integrates up-to-date coverage of the latest finds and relevant technologies in a format and writing style designed to help all students master the material.