Humans originated in Africa, with the earliest anatomically modern Homo sapiens emerging around 200,000 to 300,000 years ago. This origin was likely in regions including East Africa, Southern Africa, and possibly across a broader pan-African range rather than a single specific spot. From Africa, humans eventually migrated and dispersed across the world.
African Origin of Humans
Scientists agree that anatomically modern humans evolved in Africa roughly 200,000 to 300,000 years ago. The initial human populations inhabited diverse regions of Africa, from East African rift valleys to southern and northwestern areas of the continent. Fossils such as those found in Ethiopia's Omo Valley and Morocco support this African emergence.
Migration Out of Africa
After evolving in Africa, humans began migrating out of the continent about 70,000 to 130,000 years ago, spreading into the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and eventually the rest of the world. These migrations replaced or interbred with archaic human groups like Neanderthals and Denisovans.
Complex Origins
Recent research suggests that rather than a single population in one location, Homo sapiens emerged through interconnected populations across Africa with varying physical features. This complex pan-African process challenges simpler models of human origin in just one region, highlighting diverse habitats and social networks across the continent.
In summary, modern humans originated in Africa about 200,000 to 300,000 years ago and then migrated globally, with evidence pointing to a broad and complex evolutionary origin within the continent rather than a single pinpointed site.
