Weekly Insights for Thinkers

History

History of the Lands

Homo naledi: A Likely Hybrid

Speculative branch of humans. Maybe a long lost hybrid: In the evolving tapestry of human history, the emergence of Homo naledi represents a captivating mystery that challenges traditional narratives of linear progression. Positioned within the intricate web of human evolution, Homo naledi could exemplify a complex branch woven from ancient threads. Imagine a scenario where […]

Homo naledi: A Likely Hybrid Read More »

Extinction: Homo naledi

Discovered in 2013 and first dated in 2017, Homo naledi and humans coexisted in South and East Africa from our emergence around 315,000 years ago until their extinction about 236,000 years ago. It is possible that we share a common ancestor with them, but research is pending. Homo naledi lived in South Africa from 335,000 to

Extinction: Homo naledi Read More »

Extinction: Homo Erectus

Homo erectus and humans last coexisted in Javanese in Asia around 50,000 years ago. Imagined image above: A late-stage Homo erectus individual in Java, Indonesia, focused on crafting a tool from volcanic rock near a simple fire, set within the lush tropical rainforest. This visualization aims to capture the essence and appearance of Homo erectus

Extinction: Homo Erectus Read More »

Extinction: Denisovans

Denisovans and humans coexisted in Siberia from about 194,000 to around 40,000 years ago. While their exact cause of extinction remains debated, competition with modern humans and climate change are thought to be contributing factors. Imagined image: Set in Siberia around 45,000 years ago, a group of Denisovans is depicted in their winter camp, surrounded

Extinction: Denisovans Read More »

Extinction: Neanderthals

Homo neanderthalensis: Neanderthals and humans coexisted in Europe and Asia until around 40,000 years ago. While their exact cause of extinction remains debated, competition with modern humans and climate change are thought to be contributing factors. Imagined image: Left is a neanderthal, right a human. Just as human looks vary widely, Neanderthals did too. This

Extinction: Neanderthals Read More »

Upper Paleolithic Cave Art with Symbols

Earliest known symbol use in the Europe/Mediterranean zone.  Dating back to around 40,000 BCE, the Upper Paleolithic cave art found across Europe presents a compelling narrative of early human communication and symbolic expression. Sites like Lascaux in France and Altamira in Spain feature elaborate depictions of animals, human figures, and abstract symbols that recur with

Upper Paleolithic Cave Art with Symbols Read More »

Olmec Hieroglyphs: Mexico

Earliest known writing in the Americas zone.  The Olmec civilization flourished in what is now the southeastern part of Mexico from around 1500 BC to about 400 BC. The Olmecs are often referred to as the “Mother Culture” of Mesoamerica, influencing later civilizations like the Maya and the Aztecs. The Cascajal Block artifact, dated to

Olmec Hieroglyphs: Mexico Read More »

Indus Valley Script: Northwest India

Earliest undeciphered writing in the Asian zone.  The Indus Valley script, emerging around 2600 BCE in one of the world’s earliest urban civilizations, remains one of archaeology’s greatest puzzles. Found across a vast expanse from today’s northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest India, this script comprises over 400 unique symbols, ranging from geometric shapes to

Indus Valley Script: Northwest India Read More »

Oracle Bone Script: China

Earliest deciphered writing in Asian zone: Indus Valley writing, undeciphered, predates this to circa 2600 BCE. The earliest known writing system in Asia is typically considered to be the Oracle Bone Script from ancient China. This script was used during the Shang Dynasty around 1200 BCE, but evidence suggests it may have developed as early

Oracle Bone Script: China Read More »

Hominin World Population: 2 Million (speculative)

Other than humans, today’s smartest primates—chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans—have a combined wild population of approximately 400,000 to 700,000. This number persists despite their near-complete inability to expand beyond their current ideal environments, a restriction not faced by any human species since before Homo habilis. Moreover, this is in spite of the extreme pressures exerted

Hominin World Population: 2 Million (speculative) Read More »

Hominin World Population: 2 Million (maybe)

When Homo sapiens first emerged, their population in Africa was likely just a few hundred thousand, while the total hominin population, including other species like Neanderthals and Homo heidelbergensis, may have ranged from 1.1 to 2.1 million. During this period, Homo sapiens were primarily found in Africa, while other hominins occupied broader ranges across Eurasia,

Hominin World Population: 2 Million (maybe) Read More »

World Population: 1.5 Million

Cognitive Revolution By 70,000 BCE. Population range: 500,000 to 2.5 million. Given the uncertainties and lack of direct data, the following are speculative estimates. Africa-Middle East: 50-60% or 600,000 to 1 million people Africa, being the origin of modern humans, likely had the highest population density at this time, particularly in Sub-Saharan regions which were

World Population: 1.5 Million Read More »

World Population: 15 Million

Stone Copper Age Chalcolithic Period: 3,000 BCE – 500 BCE. Africa-Middle East: 36% or 5 million people Early civilizations include Egypt and Mesopotamia with a relatively higher population density. Asia: 36% or 5 million people Early civilizations include Indus Valley and ancient China. They saw early urban development and agriculture which supported larger populations. Europe-Mediterranean:

World Population: 15 Million Read More »

Scroll to Top