There's No Single Cradle of Humankind
PBS Eons・2 minutes read
The search for the origins of humankind led scientists on a global quest, from early theories of lost continents to fossil discoveries in Africa supporting an African origin for human lineage. Genetic evidence in the last 30 years has confirmed the Out of Africa hypothesis, tracing human origins to Africa and the emergence of Homo sapiens around 300,000 years ago.
Insights
- The search for the cradle of humankind led to diverse theories, including an Asian or Lemurian origin, but Charles Darwin's argument for an African origin based on similarities with primates eventually gained support with fossil discoveries in Africa, solidifying the idea of human lineage originating on the continent.
- Fossil discoveries in Africa, dating back millions of years, and genetic evidence from the last three decades have overwhelmingly supported the Out of Africa hypothesis, establishing Africa as the birthplace of Homo sapiens and highlighting the interbreeding with Neanderthals and Denisovans in Eurasia as crucial to human evolution.
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Recent questions
Where did scientists believe human origins were located?
Africa
What did Charles Darwin predict in 1859?
Evolution
When did the emergence of Homo sapiens occur?
300,000 years ago
What did the fossil discoveries in Africa, Asia, and Europe leave open?
Question of human origins
What did genetic evidence confirm in the last 30 years?
Out of Africa hypothesis
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