From early hominids to Homo sapiens

I present a review on the evolutionary history of Homo sapiens and argue the following points: bipedalism is the fundamental trait that distinguishes the gorilla and chimpanzee clade from the hominid clade. Reduction of canine size in Australopithecus afarensis does not appear to be the result of a decrease in aggression levels among males. Use of stones, not the forged but the rough ones found in their environment, as weapons may have led to a reduction of selection pressures on canine teeth as tools used during agonistic encounters. H. sapiens may have led to the extinction of H. neardenthalensis through several mechanisms: the manufacture of projectile like weapons, and the development of symbolic, articulated language, moral and exclusion.