NOVA scienceNOW: What Makes Us Human?

Gr 9 Up—Anthropologists and other scientists have spent hundreds of years researching what sets humans apart from other kindred strains of mammal life. This four-part program looks at specific manners and characteristics that shape us and how they might have "evolved." "Neanderthal's R Us" explores the relationship between modern man and the Neanderthal branch of the human tree, illustrating how DNA research showed that between one and four percent of the genome of most contemporary non-Africans is composed of genes from this race once thought extinct. "Stone Age Language Mystery" utilizes modern technology to link the mental processes employed in our acquisition of language and that of mastering the use of tools as we progressed up the proverbial evolutionary ladder. "Evolution of Laugher, a more light-hearted topic, explains that the human quality of laughter isn't unique to us, but is shared in some form with other primates. The host in these three segments sometimes approaches a sophomoric tone as he interviews researchers in various scientific disciplines. Yet, that probably will not be a deal-breaker for most high school audiences as the series' emphasis is on keeping the tone lighter than many other titles on this subject. The concluding segment might well be the star of the show. In a format and content similar to the 60 Minutes TV series, the producers visit Zeresenay Alemseged, an Ethiopian anthropologist who discovered the 3.3 million-year-old bones of Selam, a young child and a valuable link between other primates and man. Each segment utilizes well-developed computer images, creative graphics, and often brief animated comic characters to illustrate salient points. Chapter selection and English-language subtitles are optional. Sure to be popular in many classroom settings.—Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL