The endocast of MH1, Australopithecus sediba. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The virtual endocast of MH1 (Australopithecus sediba), obtained from high-quality synchrotron scanning, reveals generally australopith-like convolutional patterns on the frontal lobes but also some foreshadowing of features of the human frontal lobes, such as posterior repositioning of the olfactory bulbs. Principal component analysis of orbitofrontal dimensions on australopith endocasts (MH1, Sts 5, and Sts 60) indicates that among these, MH1 orbitofrontal shape and organization align most closely with human endocasts. These results are consistent with gradual neural reorganization of the orbitofrontal region in the transition from Australopithecus to Homo, but given the small volume of the MH1 endocast, they are not consistent with gradual brain enlargement before the transition.

published proceedings

  • Science

altmetric score

  • 120.666

author list (cited authors)

  • Carlson, K. J., Stout, D., Jashashvili, T., de Ruiter, D. J., Tafforeau, P., Carlson, K., & Berger, L. R.

citation count

  • 144

complete list of authors

  • Carlson, Kristian J||Stout, Dietrich||Jashashvili, Tea||de Ruiter, Darryl J||Tafforeau, Paul||Carlson, Keely||Berger, Lee R

publication date

  • September 2011