The science of where humans came from is an issue with universal significance, one that students at the Community College of Rhode Island explored on April 1.

This exercise was the second in a series of non-credit science workshops offered by the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the CCRI Biology Department, which are open to all students.

The evolution workshop was called “On Becoming Human” and traced human origins from primate ancestors to modern man.

“We’re looking at how we gradually progressed to the modern state,” said Assistant Biology Professor David Vito, who oversaw the exercise.

Students looked at replica skulls belonging to human ancestors and were able to see the gradual changes that led to homo sapiens – modern humans.

“Here in the lab we have replicas of some of the key fossil finds,” Vito said.

Students examined the skulls of Homo habilis, the first human ancestor known to make tools; Homo ergaster, the first known to harness and build fires; Homo erectus, which had the largest brain yet and was the first proto-human to leave Africa; Homo heidelbergensis, which had a modern-size brain; and Cro -Magnons, the first early-modern humans who had the intelligence and self-awareness to create cave paintings. These fossil samples cover about 3.7 million years of evolution, Vito said.

The students also saw a presentation covering eight million years, starting with the approximate time when an animal with the brain of a chimp first became bipedal, meaning it walked on two legs.

Students examined the skull replicas for indicators of evolution such as the gradual change in cranial size, and the movement of the foramen magnum, where the spine attaches to the skull.

“I wanted to let the student s think about where our beginnings are and how we became human and enlighten people about certain aspects of science they may not have been aware of,” Vito said.

Liberal arts student Jonte Hodge said he is not very interested in the sciences but still enjoyed the hands-on lab.

“I liked that with the skulls you can see exactly what they are and how they compare,” he said.

Another student, Douglas Shehan, said he attended the lab to learn more about the subject matter.

“I had [Professor Vito] as a teacher in microbiology and I loved what he brought into class on genetics and the development of species and I wanted to learn more about it,” he said.

Shehan is a professional fisherman and quahogger who is returning to college to study nursing.

He enrolled at CCRI for the Fall 2008 semester and said he enjoys learning about the sciences.

“I liked being able to see the development of humans from the most prehistoric to the present,” he said.

“On Becoming Human” was the last EPSCoR workshop scheduled for this academic year, but more will be offered during the Fall 2011 semester.

Original CCRI press release and April 4th updated release.