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Cited by 332Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology StudiesMorphological variations and asymmetryPleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology

Brain Size, Cranial Morphology, Climate, and Time Machines [and Comments and Reply]

Beals, Kenneth L., Smith, Courtland L., Dodd, Stephen M., Angel, J. Lawrence, Armstrong, Este, Blumenberg, Bennett, Girgis, Fakhry G., Turkel, Spencer +6 more·1984·Current Anthropology
DOI 10.1086/203138
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Abstract

A bioclimatic model is evaluated as an explanation of variation in cranial capacity among 122 ethnic groups. Distribution of absolute and relative endocranial volume is mapped. Significant correlations occur with all nine climatic variables examined. Major foci of adaptation occur with solar radiation, vapor pressure, and winter temperature. Global mean trait increase is 2.5 cm per degree of equatorial distance. The interactive geometry between cranial size and shape is described, with encephalization and brachycephalization considered as functionally connected trends. Breadth is the most important structural component determining capacity. Relations between body size and brain size indicate that human populations under severe cold stress obtain large volumes more from rounder cranial shape than from differentiation by total body size. A computerized mapping program is developed and applied to anthropometric, climatic, and HRAF files. Its potential to produce clinal depictions through the Pleistocene ("time machine project") is discussed. Paleontological data are summarized for 147 hominids.

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Crossref · 10.1086/203138

Cites

46 of 46 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Both absolute and relative brain size have decreased since the end of the Pleistocene.

    “both absolute and relative brain size have decreased since the end of the Pleistocene (Schwidetzky, 1976;Wiercinski, 1979;Beals et al., 1984;Henneberg, 1988;Henneberg and Steyn, 1993;Ruff et al., 1997;Bailey and Geary, 2009;Hawks, 2011;Bednarik, 2014;Liu et al., 2014;Bruner and Gleeson, 2019).”

    From When and Why Did Human Brains Decrease in Size? A New Change-Point Analysis and Insights From Brain Evolution in Ants (2021) · cites this paper as Beals et al., 1984

  • Human body size, as measured from skeletal dimensions, reduced during the past 30,000 years, at least in some populations.

    “Human body size, as measured from skeletal dimensions, did reduce during the past 30,000 years, at least in some populations [1,6,7,12].”

    From Selection for smaller brains in Holocene human evolution (2011) · cites this paper as [6]

  • Human populations during the last 10,000 years have undergone rapid decreases in average brain size as measured by endocranial volume or estimated from linear cranial measurements.

    “Human populations during the last 10,000 years have undergone rapid decreases in average brain size as measured by endocranial volume or as estimated from linear measurements of the cranium.”

    From Selection for smaller brains in Holocene human evolution (2011) · cites this paper as [6]

  • Present-day Chinese people appear to vary in cranial size from north to south, possibly by more than 100 ml.

    “Present-day Chinese people appear to vary in cranial size from north to south, possibly by more than 100 ml [6,19]”

    From Selection for smaller brains in Holocene human evolution (2011) · cites this paper as [6]

  • Smaller-brained populations live in warmer climates, and this relation cannot be explained entirely in terms of body size of contemporary populations.

    “Smaller-brained populations live in warmer climates, and this relation cannot be explained entirely in terms of body size of contemporary populations.”

    From Selection for smaller brains in Holocene human evolution (2011) · cites this paper as [6]

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Authors
Beals, K. L., Smith, C. L., Dodd, S. M., Angel, J. L., Armstrong, E., Blumenberg, B., Girgis, F. G., Turkel, S., Gibson, K. R., Henneberg, M., Menk, R., Morimoto, I., Sokal, R. R., & Trinkaus, E.
ORCID
Venue
Current Anthropology
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
Published
1984-06
Volume
25
Issue
3
Pages
301-330
ISSN
  • 0011-3204 (ISSN-L)
  • 1537-5382
DOI
10.1086/203138
OpenAlex
W2250964297
Cited by
332
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 14
FWCI
44.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Current Anthropology (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Geometry and Topology › Morphological variations and asymmetry
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
Keywords
cranial capacity, endocranial volume, brain size, skull morphology, bioclimatic models, encephalization, cranial breadth, cold adaptation, solar radiation, vapor pressure, winter temperature, clinal variation, hominid brain evolution

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