Part 12/15:
The detailed study of Ardipithecus and other fossils underscores that humans are not a “finished” form but exploration of a diverse, dynamic evolutionary process. Our human form—the tall stature, complex brain, upright gait—is a result of countless adaptations, experiments, and coincidences spanning millions of years.
Furthermore, our species’ variability and adaptations—ranging from the giant stature of mountain climbers to the tiny remnants of Homo floresiensis—suggest we are a product of evolutionary experimentation, rather than a pinnacle with a fixed endpoint.