Homo Sapiens

Basic History of Homo sapiens, or the Modern Human

Homo sapiens, also known as modern humans, evolved in Africa around 200,000 years ago and are still living and breathing today. Resembling what you and I look like today, homo sapiens have little hair on their bodies, bigger skulls and brains, and a lighter skeleton compared to past hominid species. Homo sapiens all share similar characteristics, they all walk upright, have evolved bodies that make it easier to cope with climate change, and communicate intelligently with others of their species. Modern humans started to move to all areas of the globe at a rapid pace 70,000 years ago. 11,000 years ago, they began to farm and started to drastically modify the world they live in; the first hominid species to do so. The scientific revolution began 500 years ago, where modern humans began to research and study the world they live in, and 250 years later the industrial revolution started, and factories began massively polluting the planet, continuing to alter the homo sapiens surroundings. Just 50 years ago, the informational revolution begun, and homo sapiens began technologically storing and creating data that they discovered.

Fossil Finds

There are three main fossil finds in the Klasies River Mouth, Qafzeh IX, and the Cro-Magnon 1. The Qafzeh IX’s estimated age is between 90,000 to 100,000 years old. It was in the Qafzeh Cave, Israel. This specimen is one of about 21 individuals found in Qafzeh Cave. The skull and nearly complete skeleton that accompanied it belonged to a male Homo sapiens who was about 20 years old when he died. It was found buried next to the remains of a small child. The second fossil find in the Klasies River demonstrated that the early members of our species varied in size more than contemporary humans. The third fossil find in Les Ezyies, France, found a skull that is identical of that of a modern human.


Sources

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