The Human Evolution Timeline
Primates includes all lemurs, monkeys, and apes, along with their extinct relatives. Traits: forward-facing eyes, large brains relative to body size, and opposable thumbs.
6,000 Generations Ago By circa 150,000 BCE, the size of our brain and it’s capabilities matured. Think about this. A human born today and a human born in 150,000 BCE had roughly the same mental and physical capacities. This includes all of our traits including our need for attention and power, our ingenuity, our gullibility to […]
Modern Human Looks and Brains Read More »
Through minor DNA changes, we know which early humans have descendants alive today. This successful “out of Africa” migration, the Southern Dispersal, took place around 70,000 to 50,000 BCE. Our ancestors proceeded to colonize all the continents and larger islands, arriving in… Eurasia circa 60,000 BCE Australia circa 65,000 BCE South America circa 30,000 BCE
Successful Out of Africa Migration Read More »
2,400 Generations Ago The modern human DNA evolved sometime between 71,000 and 51,000 BCE. Imagine that. A human baby born today, and a human baby born in 60,000 BCE have nearly indistinguishable DNA. There are differences but essentially humans are the same now as they were then. The popular website 23andme.com focuses on 23 changes in
Around 700,000 years ago, the development of a human-like hyoid bone suggests early hominins may have begun transitioning from simple vocalizations to more structured speech. This period marks a critical evolutionary point for Homo heidelbergensis, whose anatomical adaptations for speech, coupled with advanced tool use and complex social structures, indicate possible use of rudimentary language.
Hyoid Bone: Speach Emerges Read More »
Homo habilis marks an early Philosophy of Mind turning point: intelligence was no longer just reaction, but planning. With toolmaking, foresight, and environmental manipulation, the mind began reaching beyond the present moment into imagined futures.
Homo habilis: Our Intelligence Settles. Read More »
16,000 Generations Ago True symbolic thought emerges before 430,000 BCE: The discovery in 2018 of Neanderthal art dating back to 68,000 years ago, proved symbolic thought in Neanderthals. It also indicates strongly that symbolic thought evolved in or before our common ancestor about 430,000 years ago. This must be true unless either they evolved it
Homo neanderthalensis: Verified True Symbolic Thought Read More »
Humans did not evolve from chimpanzees. Humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos all descend from an earlier African ape whose lineage split around 7.5 million years ago.
Chimpanzees Branch Off (CHLCA) Read More »
12,600 Generations Ago The first humans evolved in Africa about 315,000 BCE. These first humans had most of the traits we identify as human including looking and thinking much as we do. They used brain power, innovation, and teamwork. They spoke and controlled fire. Their lives were complex. Over the next 250,000 years they evolved
Homo Sapiens: Advanced Transcendental Intelligence Read More »
