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    Homo – Humans

    We, humans, and our closest relatives – at least 8 species, all of which have gone extinct

    Upright posture, walking on two legs, large brain and small canines – all have made the whole difference.

    Our genus is 1.5–2.5 million years old. Except for us, contemporary humans, every other species has gone extinct. Traditional estimates place the extinction of Eurasia’s Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) at about 30,000 years ago. Still, new evidence reveals that the Flores man (Homo floresiensis) of Indonesia may have existed as recently as 12,000 years ago.

    Homo sapiens, arguably the most successful species ever, resulted in the extinction of many species, starting with animals such as the Smilodon (saber-toothed tiger), Giant ground sloth, and wooly mammoth, because of their newfound ability to use projectile weapons. This inadvertently led to the extinction of other homo species, such as the Neanderthals, who could not sustain the intraspecific competition and died out.

    Compared to other primates, human babies require a longer development period to reach various milestones, such as walking or self-feeding. This prolonged period of dependency necessitates increased parental care and attention, leading to the development of complex family structures and social dynamics, contributing to greater cooperation, protection, and sharing of resources within the group.

    Did you know…?

    • The trivial fact that there were other human species was a top secret for most of history, and still, many fail to believe it.
    • The evolution of bipedalism in the Homo genus allowed for the freeing of the hands, which led to the development of complex tool use, language, and other cultural practices.
    • While early Homo species were primarily scavengers and opportunistic hunters, it wasn’t until around 400,000 years ago that they regularly began to hunt animals outside their food chain.
    • Different homo species weren’t just evolved versions of each other, but rather evolved in parallel like different models of cars in the same brand. It’s like having a room full of tigers, lions, and jaguars, all part of the big cat family. And just 100,000 years ago, there were at least six species of humans roaming around, making it a real party!