After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

5.1 Explain the principal trends in hominin evolution and within genus Homo.
5.2 Describe the fossil evidence for early hominin evolution.
5.3 Discuss the challenges paleoanthropologists face in interpreting the fossil record and explain why their interpretations sometimes change.
5.4 Compare the different models for the emergence of anatomically modern humans.
5.5 Summarize the theories regarding the relationship of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens.
5.6 Indicate how new genomic research and molecular dating have helped anthropologists interpret human evolution.