"The study of human evolution involves several scientific disciplines, including physical and evolutionary anthropology, paleontology, and genetics."
Study of the evolution of the human species.
Genetics: The study of inheritance and variation in genes and the role it plays in human evolution.
Fossils: The preserved remains of ancient organisms that provide evidence of human's evolutionary history.
Primatology: The study of primates and their behavior, anatomy, and evolution, as humans belong to the primate family.
Hominin Evolution: The study of the evolution of humans and their ancestors over time from the split with chimpanzees to modern-day Homo sapiens.
Paleontology: The study of ancient life through fossils, helping understand the environment, temperature, and ecosystem where early humans lived.
Anthropometry: The study of human measurements, this study is used to get a better idea about early human physical characteristics and traits.
Archaeology: The study of human culture through physical remains, including tools and artifacts, indicating behavioural and social changes of human evolution.
Climate change and evolution: Climate change over the millennia may have contributed to the evolution and adaptation of humans and their ancestors.
Biogeography: The study of the distribution of species over time and space, helping to explain how early humans may have migrated to different parts of the world.
Nutrition and dietary evolution: The study of the development of human diet and nutrition and how it has contributed to human evolution.
Human morphology: The study of the physical characteristics of humans and their variation over time, helping explain evolutionary changes.
Prehistoric art: The study of art and its evolution from ancient times, indicating the cultural and symbolic changes of early humans.
Language Evolution: The study of the development of human language and its evolution over time, providing insight into human communication and culture.
Sahelanthropus tchadensis: Lived about 7-6 million years ago in Chad. This early hominin is known only from a partial cranium and mandible. Its features suggest that it was bipedal (able to walk on two legs) but still had ape-like characteristics.
Orrorin tugenensis: Lived about 6 million years ago in Kenya. Known from a few bone fragments, this early hominin had a thigh bone that suggests it was bipedal and had adaptations for walking on two legs.
Ardipithecus ramidus: Lived about 4.4 million years ago in Ethiopia. Known from the fossil remains of several individuals, this early hominin had a mix of ape-like and human-like features. It walked upright, but its hands and feet were still adapted for climbing trees.
Australopithecus anamensis: Lived about 4.2-3.9 million years ago in Kenya and Ethiopia. Known from the fossil remains of several individuals, this early hominin had a mix of ape-like and human-like features. It walked upright, but its teeth and jaw were still adapted for a partly plant-based diet.
Australopithecus afarensis: Lived about 3.9-2.9 million years ago in eastern Africa. Known from the famous fossil "Lucy," this early hominin had a number of human-like adaptations for walking on two legs, but still had some ape-like characteristics such as long arms and a projecting face.
Australopithecus africanus: Lived about 3-2.3 million years ago in South Africa. Known from several fossil specimens, this early hominin was similar to A. afarensis but had a more rounded braincase suggestive of more advanced cognitive abilities.
Homo habilis: Lived about 2.8-1.5 million years ago in East Africa. Known from several fossil specimens, this early member of the Homo genus had a larger brain than earlier hominins and was likely the first toolmaker.
Homo erectus: Lived about 1.8 million-300,000 years ago in Asia and Africa. Known from many fossil specimens, this early human had a large brain and a more modern body shape than earlier hominins. It was also the first hominin to leave Africa and colonize other parts of the world.
Homo heidelbergensis: Lived about 700,000-200,000 years ago in Africa, Europe, and possibly Asia. Known from several fossil specimens, this human ancestor had a larger brain than H. erectus and may have been the ancestor of both Neanderthals and modern humans.
Archaic Homo sapiens: Lived about 500,000-200,000 years ago in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Known from several fossil specimens, this group included H. heidelbergensis, as well as other early forms of Homo sapiens that had some Neanderthal-like characteristics.
Homo neanderthalensis: Lived about 400,000-40,000 years ago in Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. This human ancestor had a distinctive body shape and cranial features, including a prominent brow ridge and a large nose. Neanderthals were likely adapted to cold climates and may have interbred with early modern humans.
Homo sapiens: Lived about 300,000 years ago to the present day in Africa and later spread throughout the world. This is the species to which we belong, and we are still evolving. Early members of our species had large brains and complex social behaviors, and over time we have developed many diverse cultures and languages.
"This process involved the gradual development of traits such as human bipedalism, dexterity and complex language..."
"...indicating that human evolution was not linear but weblike."
"...interbreeding with other hominins (a tribe of the African hominid subfamily)..."
"Primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago (mya)..."
"Their earliest fossils appearing over 55 mya, during the Paleocene."
"Primates produced successive clades leading to the ape superfamily, which gave rise to the hominid and the gibbon families..."
"African and Asian hominids (including orangutans) diverged about 14 mya."
"Hominins (including the Australopithecine and Panina subtribes) parted from the Gorillini tribe (gorillas) between 8–9 mya."
"Australopithecine (including the extinct biped ancestors of humans) separated from the Pan genus (containing chimpanzees and bonobos) 4–7 mya."
"The Homo genus is evidenced by the appearance of H. habilis over 2 mya..."
"Anatomically modern humans emerged in Africa..."
"...approximately 300,000 years ago."
"The study of human evolution involves several scientific disciplines, including physical and evolutionary anthropology, paleontology, and genetics."
"With their earliest fossils appearing over 55 mya, during the Paleocene."
"...parted from the Gorillini tribe (gorillas) between 8–9 mya..."
"The Homo genus is evidenced by the appearance of H. habilis over 2 mya..."
"African and Asian hominids (including orangutans) diverged about 14 mya."
"Australopithecine (including the extinct biped ancestors of humans) separated from the Pan genus (containing chimpanzees and bonobos)..."
"Anatomically modern humans emerged in Africa..."