Topics in Anthropology: Biomechanics

3 units

Humans, like all organisms, live and evolved in a world that is governed by the rules of physics. Such an engineered world has undoubtedly had a profound impact on the human evolutionary trajectory. Biomechanics is the science of understanding the natural world around us in a mechanistic fashion, and it has become a major pillar in investigating the human form and function. Understanding how humans and our closest relatives behave in and interact with the physical world can lead to novel insights into the evolution of complex traits; such understanding can come from investigating the mechanics of tissues and structures of the human body or understanding the principles of movement and locomotion. Through lectures, discussions, and hands-on experience, this course will explain biomechanical terms and principles to demonstrate how this discipline has contributed to biological anthropology.