Final answer:
Paleoanthropology is the field that studies human evolution through fossils, aiming to reconstruct the history of human ancestry and understand our evolutionary past.
Step-by-step explanation:
The field that traces the history of human evolution by reconstructing the human fossil record is known as paleoanthropology. Paleoanthropologists work to understand the physical morphology of our ancestors, analyze genetic data, and utilize the fossil record to form hypotheses about our evolutionary past. Through the study of fossils including skulls, postcranial material, and artifacts, these experts attempt to piece together a narrative of human evolution, despite the challenges of working with fragmentary evidence.
Paleoanthropology combines principles from various scientific disciplines to answer complex questions about where humans come from and how we have evolved over millions of years. One fascinating aspect of this field is determining the phylogenetic relationships and points of divergence among different hominin species, which can be complex due to multiple species coexisting at various times. Even with the difficulties involved, the fascinating discoveries in paleoanthropology continue to shape our understanding of the milestones in human evolution.