human origins

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The study of human origins, or beginnings, involves figuring out how

The earliest forms and when human beings began to exist. Scientists have many
of humans evolved different theories about human origins. But they agree that humans
from apelike developed over many millions of years from early ancestors that were
animals. M odern like apes. The process by which one type of living thing develops
humans evolved into another type is called evolution.
from these early
Encyclopdia M odern humans evolved in stages from a series of ancestors,
Britannica, Inc. including several earlier forms of humans. The bodies of these
ancestors changed over time. In general, their brains became larger.
The jaws and teeth became smaller. Human ancestors also began
walking upright on two feet and using tools. As they did, the shape
of their legs, feet, hands, and other body parts changed.

Australopithecus
afarensis was one
of the earliest
human ancestors.

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The earliest
recognized
members of the
genus Homo belong
to the
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An ancestor of
modern humans
known as Homo
erectus appeared in
East
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By about 35,000
years ago, most of
Africa, Asia, and
Europe were
occupied by
modern forms of
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Fossils

Scientists have a fairly small amount of evidence to use in studying

human origins. M ost of this evidence comes from fossils, or the
remains of living things preserved in the ground. The study of fossils
is called paleontology. In Africa, Asia, and Europe scientists have
Some Neanderthal found the bones and tools of human ancestors who lived millions of
fossils were found years ago. And scientists continue to find new clues as to how
in Israel. humans developed.
The Natural
History Museum,
London/Alamy

Apes and Humans

Humans did not evolve from apes. Instead, modern humans and apes both developed from
the same apelike ancestor. The ancestors of humans became separate from the ancestors
of apes between about 8 million and 5 million years ago. After that each group developed
on its own.

M odern humans and apes are still closely related. In fact, most
scientists consider humans and great apeschimpanzees, bonobos,
gorillas, and orangutansto belong to the same scientific family. But
It took millions of there are many important differences between humans and apes.
years for modern For this reason scientists have divided the family into smaller groups.
humans to evolve Orangutans belong to a group called Ponginae. Gorillas,
from an apelike chimpanzees, and bonobos belong to a group called the Gorillini
ancestor. Great tribe. Humans belong to the Hominini tribe. The term hominin refers
apes evolved to humans and all their ancestors from the time they began
Encyclopdia developing separately from those of apes.
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Hominins

Today only one species, or type, of hominin existsmodern humans. In the past two or
more species of hominin often lived at the same time. Scientists do not always agree
about which species are the direct ancestors of other species. But all hominins are
closely related.

Australopithecines

Some of the earliest hominins are known as australopithecines. There were several
different species of this group. Fossils show that they lived in Africa from roughly 4 million
to 2.5 million years ago. One of the most famous such fossils is Lucya partial skeleton
found in Ethiopia. These bones are about 3 million years old.

The australopithecines had some apelike features. For instance,

their brains were much smaller than modern human brains. They
could also climb trees easily. But, like humans, they walked on two
feet. Scientists know this from studying leg, knee, foot, and pelvis
fossils. In addition, they found a set of footprints preserved in the
ground in Tanzania.

Australopithecine
individuals left their
footprints in
Tanzania about 3.5
million years ago.
John Reader/Photo
Researchers

Humans

Early forms of humans first existed about 2 to 1.5 million years ago. All species of humans
 belong to a scientific group within the hominin tribe called Homo. The scientific names of
all human species begin with the word Homo, which means man. These early humans
had larger brains and mostly smaller teeth and jaws than the australopithecines. Their
behavior was probably also more like that of modern humans. For instance, an early human
species called Homo habilis used stone tools to butcher animals. Later human species
included Homo erectus and Homo heidelbergensis. Scientists believe that these humans
used fire to cook food.

The humans called Neanderthals were alive for part of the same time as modern humans.
The Neanderthals died out about 28,000 years ago. They were closely related to modern
humans. But most scientists think that these humans were not the direct ancestors of
modern humans.

M odern humans probably developed between 200,000 and 100,000

years ago. The scientific name of the species is Homo sapiens. M any
scientists believe that the first modern humans evolved in Africa and
then spread through Asia and Europe and later the Americas. Exactly
The brains of
how modern humans emerged is a question that scientists are still
human ancestors
studying.
increased in size
over time. The
large, complex
brains of modern
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