From an unimportant species somewhere in the middle of the food chain to smartphones, pizza delivery & atomic bomb in just 100,000 years!
Homo sapiens, evolved from Homo erectus, the only extant member of the genus Homo (which is VERY suspicious, to say the least), emerged around 300,000 years ago.
70,000 years ago, Behavioral modernity brought behavioral and cognitive traits like language and collaboration. Migrating out of Africa, humans gradually taking over the world, replacing local populations of other human speices and bringing to extinction most other large mammals especially in Oceania and America, where no other human species had gone before (45,000 – 12,000 years ago).
Before settling in the Middle East, early humans were hunter-gatherers. The Agricultural Revolution (approx. 12,000 years ago) came with the domestication of animals and plants. Humans, once part of nature, are now increasingly out of nature.
500 years ago, Industrial Revolution introduced machinery, which replaced human muscles. It has also resulted in a dramatic rise in population growth ever since. In recent decades, we started comprehending the by-products of this revolution – a climate and ecologic disaster.
Distribution
Asia
Official estimate
Africa
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Europe
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North America
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South America
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Oceania
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Antarctica
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Did you know?
- Humans are the only primates with visible sclera or the white part of the eye. This feature allows us to communicate emotions and intentions through eye contact easily.
- The ability to speak and use language is unique to humans and is largely attributed to the development of a specialized area of the brain called Broca’s area. However, recent studies have suggested that some species of great apes may also possess the ability to learn and use language to a limited extent.
- Humans are the only animals known to have chins. While the function of this feature is not entirely clear, it is believed that chins may have evolved to help strengthen the jaw or to aid in speech production.
- The human brain consumes roughly 20% of the body’s energy, despite only accounting for about 2% of its weight.
- The genes that code for light skin, found in many people of European and Asian descent, are believed to have originated in humans who migrated out of Africa around 50,000 years ago.
- Humans are the only animals capable of throwing objects accurately and with great force, thanks to the unique structure and rotation of the shoulder joint.
- Homo sapiens is the scientific name for modern humans, and they are the only surviving species of the genus Homo. Their large brains, bipedal locomotion, and opposable thumbs are a few of the physical traits that have allowed them to become the most dominant species on Earth.
- Humans are one of the few species known to engage in altruistic behavior, helping others even when it provides no direct benefit to ourselves.
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd / Group
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
