Mikro-CT-Anwendungen in der biologischen

Micro-CT Applications in Biologi- cal Anthropology. Biological anthropology has seen a technological revolution in the past deca- de. New interdisciplinary fi elds such as "Virtual Anthropology" stimulate collaborations across borders and use latest technologies such as micro- computed tomography, statistical shape and form analysis, and biomechanical modelling. Many procedures developed in the course of research in human evolution can be applied in other fi elds as well which will likely boost cooperations with medical sciences. Two examples of successful innovations are described here. The fi rst demon- strates the discovery of the oldest European mo- dern humans (Grotta del Cavallo, ~ 45,000 years) that were erroneously classifi ed as Neanderthals in the 1960s. The internal and external morpholo- gical structures of two milk teeth were investiga- ted by means of micro-CT data and compared with those of modern humans and Neanderthals. The Cavallo individuals clearly proved to be ana- tomically modern humans. This result sheds new light on the interpretation of the accompanying artefacts and the makers of tool cultures. The sec ond example deals with the fi rst simulation of biomechanics of human molars that uses realistic parameters. 3D data from micro-CT and the ana- lysis of the individual wear pattern are combined to simulate the occurring loadings during the mastication process. J Miner Stoffwechs 2014; 21 (Pre-Publishing Online).