sapiens

Homo sapiens, meaning "wise man," is the species name used in binomial nomenclature for modern humans. It is the only surviving species of the genus Homo, within the family Hominidae, the great apes. The term sapiens distinguishes this lineage from other Homo species such as H. erectus or H. neanderthalensis.

Anatomically, H. sapiens is characterized by a relatively large brain, average endocranial volume around 1,300 to 1,400 cubic centimeters, a rounded skull, reduced brow ridges, and a vertical face. Behaviorally modern humans developed complex language, symbolic thought, and diverse cultural practices by late Pleistocene times.

The earliest fossils regarded as anatomically modern appear in Africa about 300,000 years ago, with Jebel Irhoud in Morocco among the oldest. Modern humans originated in Africa and subsequently dispersed globally in multiple waves beginning about 60,000 to 70,000 years ago, later interbreeding with archaic populations such as Neanderthals and Denisovans.

Culturally, Homo sapiens transitioned from hunter-gatherer societies to agriculture during the Neolithic Revolution, leading to settled communities, urban centers, writing systems, and complex institutions. In recent millennia, scientific and industrial developments have reshaped populations and environments, making humans a major driver of ecological change.

Genetically, all living humans belong to a shallowly diverse population with most variation found within populations rather than between them. Modern humans remain globally distributed, with about 8 billion individuals, and continuous demographic transitions, migrations, and cultural exchange continue to shape the species.