Assessment Questions 5.9

1. How does the passage describe the evolution of our ancestors' intellectual capabilities?

The passage describes an increase in brain size and intellectual capability among our ancestors over time, leading to intelligence becoming our defining characteristic. This intelligence allowed us to adapt to changing conditions, adjust behaviors, and expand into new environments.

2. What factors contributed to the human domination of the planet, according to the passage?

The passage attributes human domination of the planet to the development of sophisticated tools, the controlled use of fire, cooperative work to accomplish tasks, and reliance on brain power. These factors enabled humans to spread across every continent except Antarctica.

3. What analogy does the passage make to highlight the abundance of human biomass on Earth?

The passage makes an analogy to the apocryphal story of naturalist J. B. S. Haldane, who sarcastically suggested that "God has an inordinate fondness for beetles" due to the vast number of beetle species. The passage then compares this to the statistic that, when combining the mass of more than seven billion humans, it amounts to eight times the biomass of all other wild terrestrial vertebrates on Earth.