humanorigin

Human origin refers to the emergence and evolutionary history of Homo sapiens and the lineage leading to modern humans. It is studied across paleoanthropology, archaeology, genetics, and comparative anatomy, using fossil remains, dating methods, and genetic data to reconstruct when and how humans evolved and spread.

The fossil record shows a broad pattern of hominin diversification in Africa beginning several million years ago. Early potential bipeds and tool users appeared among australopiths around 4–7 million years ago. The genus Homo first appears about 2–2.8 million years ago, with Homo habilis and later Homo erectus, who left Africa by about 1.8 million years ago. Homo sapiens is defined by features that emerged in Africa by about 300,000 years ago, with later dispersals into Eurasia and other regions.

Genetic research supports a major origin of modern humans in Africa, followed by multiple waves of migration. Modern human genomes carry traces of admixture with archaic humans such as Neanderthals and Denisovans when populations encountered these groups in Eurasia.

Two influential models have shaped debates about the pattern of human origins. The most widely accepted view is a recent African origin with outward dispersal and limited interbreeding (out-of-Africa with admixture). Earlier multiregional theories proposed continual gene flow among regional populations, but are now seen as less compatible with the genetic evidence.

Cultural and technological developments—such as sequential tool use, control of fire, language, art, agriculture, and complex societies—accompanied and amplified biological change, contributing to the global distribution and diversity of humans today. Ongoing research, including ancient DNA and paleogenomics, continues to refine our understanding of human origins.