Final answer:
Paleoanthropology is the study of the origins and early representatives of the human species based on fossils and remains. It combines biology, anthropology, archaeology, and genetics. Paleontologists use archaeological finds and remnants to reconstruct human evolution and investigate different models explaining the decline of other human species.
Step-by-step explanation:
Paleoanthropology is the study of the origins and early representatives of the human species by analyzing fossils and other remains. It combines aspects of biology, anthropology, archaeology, and genetics to understand the biological, linguistic, and cultural variations of past and present human species.
Paleoanthropologists use archaeological finds and material remnants to reconstruct our prehistoric past and piece together the story of human evolution. However, since this work requires some extrapolation and speculation, there are still uncertainties and unanswered questions.
Two models, the 'out of Africa' model and the 'multiregional evolution model,' attempt to explain the decline of human species diversity and the emergence of Homo sapiens as the sole surviving species. Paleoanthropologists rely on fossil and archaeological records as well as genetic data to investigate these models.