Why Is the Hyoid Bone Important in the Study of Human

question 30

Multiple Choice

Why is the hyoid bone important in the study of human remains?

• A) The hyoid bone is present in fully modern humans, but not in other forms of hominin.
• B) The hyoid bone is altered by the presence of certain items in the diet, indicating the origin of agriculture.
• C) The unique physical appearance of the human hyoid helps anthropologists understand the origins of speech.
• D) Hyoid bones are common, and thus, an excellent source of ancient DNA samples.

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Definitions:

Continuation

The process of extending or carrying something on over a period of time.

Reversible Figures

Visual illusions or images that can be interpreted in two different ways, flipping back and forth between the two interpretations.

Figure-Ground Organization

Figure-Ground Organization is a type of perceptual grouping that involves distinguishing a figure from its background in visual processing.

Proximal Stimulus

Reception of information and its registration by a sense organ (e.g., retinal images in the case of vision). Contrast with distal stimulus.