Mystery Fossil

A perfect supplement to any biological anthropology course, this dual platform (Windows and Apple) CD-ROM simulates a physical anthropology laboratory experience and teaches students to think like paleoanthropologists. The CD contains descriptions and full color images of 6 unknown (or "mystery") fossils, 18 known fossils, and the crania and dentition of a modern chimp and human. There are 14 exercises for students to complete within the program. These exercises lead students through the steps paleoanthropologists use to study fossil hominins, from learning basic anatomy, measurement of skulls, and interpretation of results, to identification of the fossils. Students learn about lumping and splitting species, and the program asks students to determine the species of the unknown fossils and place them on the hominid family tree.