What are human ancestors?

Human ancestors are the species and populations that lived in the past and are part of the evolutionary lineage leading to modern humans (Homo sapiens). These ancestors include various species of primates and early humans that share common traits with us, such as bipedalism, tool use, and advanced cognitive abilities.

Key groups of human ancestors include:

1. Early Primates

• The earliest ancestors of humans were primates that lived tens of millions of years ago. These include species like Purgatorius and other early mammals that were the precursors to all primates.

2. Australopithecines

• These species, such as Australopithecus afarensis (e.g., “Lucy”), lived around 2-4 million years ago in Africa. They were bipedal and are considered an important link in human evolution.

3. Homo Genus

• This includes species like:
  • Homo habilis (about 2.4 – 1.4 million years ago), known for its use of stone tools.
  • Homo erectus (about 1.9 million – 110,000 years ago), which showed evidence of fire use and migration out of Africa.
  • Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthals), who lived in Europe and Asia and coexisted with early modern humans.
  • Homo sapiens, our species, which first appeared around 300,000 years ago in Africa.

4. Common Ancestors with Apes

• Humans share a common ancestor with modern great apes (like chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans). This ancestor likely lived about 6-7 million years ago.

Studying human ancestors helps us understand how physical, behavioral, and cognitive traits evolved over time, shaping the modern human species.