Final answer:
Biological anthropology, a subfield of anthropology, covers human origins, evolution, diversity, and includes areas such as human biological variation, paleoanthropology, primatology, bioarchaeology, and genetic anthropology.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is Included in Biological Anthropology?
Biological anthropology, also known as physical anthropology or evolutionary anthropology, is a subfield of anthropology that examines the biological and sociocultural evolution of humans. It investigates our species' origins, evolutions, and diversity. Included within this field are:
- Human biological variation
- Paleoanthropology (study of human and primate evolution)
- Primatology (study of nonhuman primates)
- Bioarchaeology (study of human bones at archaeological sites)
- Genetic anthropology (using molecular science to uncover human origins and migration)
Through these studies, researchers seek to understand the anatomical and behavioral aspects of humans, drawing on various scientific approaches and theories like natural selection to comprehend how evolutionary mechanisms have shaped us into the species we are today. Biological anthropologists also investigate the genetic relationships among early modern humans and other hominins, like Neanderthals, to understand how certain genes and traits are distributed among current human populations in different environments.