Question

Which one is closest to modern man?
(a) Cro-Magnon Man
(b) Neanderthal Man
(c) Homo erectus
(d) Homo habilis

Answer 1

Hint: The one closest to man belonged to Europe and thus is known as European Early Modern Human (EEMH). They are the earliest known examples of our species i.e. they are part of Homo sapiens.

Complete Step by Step Answer:
The modern man (Homo sapiens sapiens) arose some 75,000-10,000 years ago in Africa and spread across continents to settle in as different races. The earliest known example of our species is Cro-Magnon man whose fossils were found in Cro-magnon rock shelter in southwestern France. It is believed that Cro-magnon man lived during the Upper Paleolithic Period.

Cro-magnons were powerful, well built, 165-170 cms tall with a brain capacity of 1600cc. Their cranial capacity was slightly more than an average modern man.
All the other options mentioned belong to different species to that of Homo sapiens such as Homo neanderthalensis, Homo erectus, and Homo habilis.
So, the correct option is (a) ‘Cro-Magnon Man’.

Additional information:
Neanderthal Man: The neanderthal man lived near East and Central Asia around 1,00,000-40,000 ago with a brain capacity of 1400cc. They used hides to protect their body and buried the dead.
Homo erectus: Their fossils were discovered in Java in 1891 and had a brain capacity of 900cc. They were the next stage of Homo habilis.
Homo habilis: Homo habilis is the first human-like being hominid with a brain capacity of 650-800cc.

Note: Cro-Magnon Man used to do cave painting as many such paintings of animals were found near the fossil sites. Agriculture started somewhere around 10,000 years ago and that led to the settlements of the modern man. Our earliest known ancestors lived 15 mya and are called Dryopithecus and Ramapithecus.