Henry McHenry
Encyclopedia
Henry Malcolm McHenry PhD, is a professor of anthropology
at the University of California, Davis
, specializing in studies of human evolution
, the origins of bipedality, and paleoanthropology
.
McHenry is known internationally for his scholarship on comparative relationships among primate fossils, and he is frequently asked to give talks globally. His findings have been featured in numerous scholarly journals, and in major publications including Science
, The New York Times, Discover
and National Geographic.
McHenry earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UC Davis before earning his Ph.D. at Harvard.
s, McHenry and Peter Rodman have advanced the Efficient Walker theory, based on energetic analysis. The scientists compared the efficiency of chimpanzees walking on two versus four legs, finding two legged locomotion was far more efficient. They concluded bipedalism was selected simply because it allowed for a further range of travel for hominids. As Miocene
forests decreased and hominids were forced into the savannas, the scientists reason, bipedalism enabled greater access to resources. It should be noted, however, that this is a limited and vague description of the Efficient Walker theory.
to extend his knowledge of human origins, focusing his studies on the fossil remains of australopithecines
. The best-known of which are the 3.2 million year old remains of 'Lucy
', discovered in 1974 by Donald Johanson
of the Institute for Human Origins. According to McHenry, "The earlier species (Lucy) is more primitive in its skull and teeth, but has human-like body proportions," whereas "the later species, africanus
, with more human-like skull and teeth, has the more ape-like body proportions--big arms, small legs."
in the 1940s and 1950s, the founding Chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz
from 1961 to 1974, and a coauthor of California Master Plan for Higher Education
in 1960.
Book review
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
at the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
, specializing in studies of human evolution
Human evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
, the origins of bipedality, and paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology, which combines the disciplines of paleontology and physical anthropology, is the study of ancient humans as found in fossil hominid evidence such as petrifacted bones and footprints.-19th century:...
.
McHenry is known internationally for his scholarship on comparative relationships among primate fossils, and he is frequently asked to give talks globally. His findings have been featured in numerous scholarly journals, and in major publications including Science
Science (journal)
Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
, The New York Times, Discover
Discover (magazine)
Discover is an American science magazine that publishes articles about science for a general audience. The monthly magazine was launched in October 1980 by Time Inc. It was sold to Family Media, the owners of Health, in 1987. Walt Disney Company bought the magazine when Family Media went out of...
and National Geographic.
McHenry earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UC Davis before earning his Ph.D. at Harvard.
Efficient Walker theory
Attempting to explain the evolutionary advent of bipedalism among hominidHominidae
The Hominidae or include them .), as the term is used here, form a taxonomic family, including four extant genera: chimpanzees , gorillas , humans , and orangutans ....
s, McHenry and Peter Rodman have advanced the Efficient Walker theory, based on energetic analysis. The scientists compared the efficiency of chimpanzees walking on two versus four legs, finding two legged locomotion was far more efficient. They concluded bipedalism was selected simply because it allowed for a further range of travel for hominids. As Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
forests decreased and hominids were forced into the savannas, the scientists reason, bipedalism enabled greater access to resources. It should be noted, however, that this is a limited and vague description of the Efficient Walker theory.
Study of African ancestors
McHenry travels regularly to AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to extend his knowledge of human origins, focusing his studies on the fossil remains of australopithecines
Australopithecus
Australopithecus is a genus of hominids that is now extinct. From the evidence gathered by palaeontologists and archaeologists, it appears that the Australopithecus genus evolved in eastern Africa around 4 million years ago before spreading throughout the continent and eventually becoming extinct...
. The best-known of which are the 3.2 million year old remains of 'Lucy
Lucy (Australopithecus)
Lucy is the common name of AL 288-1, several hundred pieces of bone representing about 40% of the skeleton of an individual Australopithecus afarensis. The specimen was discovered in 1974 at Hadar in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia's Afar Depression. Lucy is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years...
', discovered in 1974 by Donald Johanson
Donald Johanson
Donald Carl Johanson is an American paleoanthropologist. Along with Maurice Taieb, and Yves Coppens he is known for the discovery of the skeleton of the female hominid australopithecine known as "Lucy", in the Afar Triangle region of Hadar, Ethiopia.-Early years:Johanson was born in Chicago,...
of the Institute for Human Origins. According to McHenry, "The earlier species (Lucy) is more primitive in its skull and teeth, but has human-like body proportions," whereas "the later species, africanus
Australopithecus africanus
Australopithecus africanus was an early hominid, an australopithecine, who lived between 2–3 million years ago in the Pliocene. In common with the older Australopithecus afarensis, A. africanus was slenderly built, or gracile, and was thought to have been a direct ancestor of modern humans. Fossil...
, with more human-like skull and teeth, has the more ape-like body proportions--big arms, small legs."
Family ventures
McHenry and his wife, Linda, have been members of the nonsectarian Shambhala Meditation Center in Davis since 1985 and co-directors since 1995. His father, Dean E. McHenry, was a respected political scientist at the University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
in the 1940s and 1950s, the founding Chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
from 1961 to 1974, and a coauthor of California Master Plan for Higher Education
California Master Plan for Higher Education
The California Master Plan for Higher Education of 1960 was developed by a survey team appointed by the UC Regents and the State Board of Education during the administration of Governor Pat Brown. Clark Kerr, then the President of UC, was a key figure in its development...
in 1960.
Recognition
In 2000, the James H. Meyer Fellows of the UC Davis Foundation awarded McHenry the university's 'Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement'.Publications
McHenry has produced over 130 publications, comprising papers, reviews, and contributions to books.Papers
Among the papers which McHenry has written or contributed to are the following:Books
Among the books which McHenry has written or contributed to are the following:Book review
External links
- UCDavis.edu - Henry McHenry's UC Davis homepage
- UCDavis.edu - 'Origin of Bipedality', McHenry, H.M., Annual Review of Anthropology, vol 11, p 151-173 (1982)
- UCDavis.edu - 'Henry McHenry honored for highly evolved teaching', Lisa Klionsky (March 3, 2000)
- UCDavis.edu - 'The singing paleontologist: Back from his latest African visit, Henry McHenry has a bone to pick with an old theory about human evolution', Trina Wood
- DavisShambhala.org - 'Davis Shambhala Meditation Center'