The divergence of humans and great apes from a common ancestor

From Early Hominids to Homo sapiens

Human evolution is a lengthy process of biological change by which humans evolved from their common ancestors with other primates. It is believed to have taken around 6-7 million years, with key developments in brain size, bipedalism, tool use, and social behaviours. The journey from early hominids to Homo sapiens involved several evolutionary stages, shaped by both environmental pressures and genetic mutations.

Theories of Human Evolution

1.Out of Africa Hypothesis: This is the widely accepted theory that modern humans (Homo sapiens) originated in Africa approximately 300,000 years ago and gradually migrated to other parts of the world. Fossil evidence and genetic data strongly support this hypothesis. Genetic studies reveal that the oldest human mitochondrial DNA comes from Africa, suggesting a common ancestry there.

2.Multiregional Hypothesis: This theory posits that early humans evolved in different parts of the world simultaneously, with gene flow between populations. This hypothesis is less supported by genetic evidence but points to regional evolution with some interbreeding.

3.Recent Developments: The discovery of interbreeding between Homo sapiens and archaic humans like Neanderthals and Denisovans has added complexity to human evolution. Genomic studies have shown that about 1-2% of the DNA of non-African populations comes from Neanderthals.