Physical or Biological Anthropology !!

Physical or biological anthropology deals with the evolution of humans, their variability, and adaptations to environmental stresses. Using an evolutionary perspective, we examine not only the physical form of humans - the bones, muscles, and organs - but also how it functions to allow survival and reproduction.

Within the field of physical anthropology there are many different areas of focus. Paleoanthropologist studies the evolution of primates and hominids from the fossil record and from what can be determined through comparative anatomy and studies of social structure and behavior from our closest living relatives. Primatologists study prosimians, monkeys and apes, using this work to understand the features that make each group distinct and those that link groups together. Skeletal biology concentrates on the study of anatomically modern humans, primarily from archaeological sites, and aims to understand the diseases and conditions these past people experienced prior to dying. Forensic anthropologists use the study of skeletal biology to assist in the identification and analysis of more recently deceased individuals. Such cases often involve complex legal considerations. Human biologists concentrate on contemporary humans, examining not only their anatomy and physiology but also their reproduction and the effects of social status and other factors on their growth and development.

Evolutionary perspectives encompass the origins of modern humans and of modern human diversity; the relationship between climate and human evolution; the evolution of language and cognition. What underlies all of these areas is the interpretation of archaeological and palaeontological evidence. Such evidence is considered within the broader theoretical context of evolutionary biology and furthermore draws on evidence from comparative morphology and behavioural research on both humans and non-human primates.
Evolutionary studies also extend to modern human biological and behaviour variation. One fascinating area of current interest is the degree to which human behaviour is rooted in biology rather than culture. In the general area of human ecology recent concerns emphasise the implications for vulnerable human groups of changes in climate, land tenure and economy. This area also impinges on questions of environmental conservation in the modern world. These more recent interests in human ecology occur alongside the more traditional concerns which focus on human biological variation and the correlates of this variation.