The History of Human Evolution

Human evolution is the lengthy process of change by which people originated from apelike
ancestors. Scientific evidence shows that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all people
originated from apelike ancestors and evolved over a period of approximately six million years.
One of the earliest defining human traits, bipedalism -- the ability to walk on two legs -- evolved
over 4 million years ago. Other important human characteristics -- such as a large and complex
brain, the ability to make and use tools, and the capacity for language -- developed more
recently. Many advanced traits -- including complex symbolic expression, art, and elaborate
cultural diversity -- emerged mainly during the past 100,000 years.
Humans are primates. Physical and genetic similarities show that the modern human species,
Homo sapiens, has a very close relationship to another group of primate species, the apes.
Humans and the great apes (large apes) of Africa -- chimpanzees (including bonobos, or so-
called “pygmy chimpanzees”) and gorillas -- share a common ancestor that lived between 8 and
6 million years ago. Humans first evolved in Africa, and much of human evolution occurred on
that continent. The fossils of early humans who lived between 6 and 2 million years ago come
entirely from Africa.

The History of Hominids

The group consisting of all modern and extinct Great Apes (that is, modern humans,
chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans plus all their immediate ancestors).

Human Evolution in order

1. Australopithecus Afarensis - afarensis possessed both ape-like and human-like
characteristics. The top of its skull (the cranial vault) was slightly domed, and its brain was
comparable in size to a chimpanzee's. Its face projected outwards, less so in females than in
males.
2. Homo Habilis - The word habilis is based on a Latin word meaning 'handy' or 'skillful'. This
species known as 'handy man' because stone tools were found near its fossil remains and it is
assumed this species had developed the ability to modify stone into tools. This species, one of
the earliest members of the genus Homo, has a slightly larger braincase and smaller face and
teeth than in Australopithecus or older hominin species. But it still retains some ape-like
features, including long arms and a moderately-prognathic face.
3. Homo Erectus - The extinct ancient human Homo erectus is a species of firsts. It was the first
of our relatives to have human-like body proportions, with shorter arms and longer legs relative
to its torso. It was also the first known hominin to migrate out of Africa, and possibly the first to
cook food. A human of medium stature that walked upright. The braincase was low, the
forehead was receded, and the nose, jaws, and palate were wide. The brain was smaller and
the teeth larger than in modern humans.
4. Homo Neanderthalensis - Neanderthals had a long, low skull (compared to the more globular
skull of modern humans) with a characteristic prominent brow ridge above their eyes. Their
face was also distinctive. The central part of the face protruded forward and was dominated by
a very big, wide nose. Some defining features of their skulls include the large middle part of the
face, angled cheek bones, and a huge nose for humidifying and warming cold, dry air. Their
bodies were shorter and stockier than ours, another adaptation to living in cold environments.
5. Homo Sapiens - The species that you and all other living human beings on this planet belong
to is Homo sapiens. During a time of dramatic climate change 300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens
evolved in Africa. Anatomically, modern humans can generally be characterized by the lighter
build of their skeletons compared to earlier humans. sapiens have distinctive "modern" physical
characteristics: a large rounded braincase, lack of a brow-ridge, a chin (even in infancy) and a
narrow pelvis compared to other species in the Homo genus. But early H. sapiens may not have
had all the same features that modern H. sapiens do, Stringer said.