Scientific evidence shows that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all people originated from apelike ancestors and evolved over a period of approximately six million years. One of the earliest defining human traits, bipedalism -- the ability to walk on two legs -- evolved over 4 million years ago.
Primates have evolved over time.
Around 65 million years ago, the very first primates emerged in North America. Eventually, they made their way to Eurasia and thrived. Some of these primates then ventured into Africa, becoming the ancestors of both modern apes and humans. Roughly 35 million years ago, the first Old World monkeys made their appearance. During the Miocene period, evidence of a hominoid called Oreopithecus was discovered in coal beds in Italy. Between 8 and 6 million years ago, chimpanzees and gorillas branched off, leading to the lineage that eventually gave rise to humans. The Australopithecus genus, which conquered the continent, played a significant role. There were numerous species within this genus, well-adapted for climbing and bearing a striking resemblance to modern monkeys. However, the Australopithecus genus only lasted for a span of 2 million years before becoming completely extinct.
Many species in the genus Homo have evolved throughout the history of humankind. The earliest known species, Homo habilis, emerged less than 3 million years ago. Despite having a brain size similar to chimpanzees, Homo habilis was the first tool-using species. Interestingly, its frontal cortex, responsible for complex planning and cognitive functions, was already showing signs of development. Homo erectus, which appeared around 1.5 million years ago, was the first species to use complex tools. However, it is not the direct ancestor of modern humans. Our lineage can be traced back to Archaic Homo sapiens, who lived between 400,000 and 250,000 years ago, originating in Africa and eventually spreading out to replace other hominin species.
