Timeline of our Universe

The species to which all contemporary humans belong, Homo sapiens, originated in Africa some 300,000 years ago. Significant improvements in tool use, culture, and social organization characterize this rise.

The age of Homo sapiens has been pushed back to around 300,000 years ago by the finding of new fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, as reported by Hublin et al. (2017). This study offers important proof of our species' early existence and broad geographic range, pointing to a multifaceted and pan-African origin. The results have important ramifications for how we think about human evolution.

Hublin, J. J., Ben-Ncer, A., Bailey, S. E., Freidline, S. E., Neubauer, S., Skinner, M. M., Bergmann, I., Le Cabec, A., Benazzi, S., Harvati, K., & Gunz, P. (2017). New fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco and the pan-African origin of Homo sapiens. Nature, 546(7657), 289-292. Link to the Article

Timeline of our Universe

Solar System forms (4.6 Billion years ago)

First Dinosaurs appear (240 Million years ago)

Dinosaur Extinction (66 Million years ago)

Homosapiens appear (300 Thousand years ago)

First city-states form (6000 years ago)