Human Evolution: From Orrorin to Homo Sapiens

Human Evolution: From *Orrorin* to *Homo Sapiens*

The Earth was formed 4,500 million years ago. There is evidence that the hominid family emerged 6 million years ago, with our species, Homo sapiens sapiens, appearing only 150,000 years ago. Our species is characterized by the development of the brain, which allows for complex social behavior, consciousness of our own existence, and a great capacity for communication. The evolution of our species includes the following:

Key Hominid Species

1. Orrorin tugenensis: Lived more than 6 million years ago (MA). They were omnivorous, lived in jungles, measured 1.4 meters, were bipedal, and were descendants of the current chimpanzees, but with differences in the pelvis, humerus, and femur.
2. Ardipithecus ramidus: Lived 4.5 MA in Ethiopia. They were herbivorous, measured 1 meter, weighed 30 kg, and had a cranial capacity of less than 400 cm³. They had a similar appearance to chimpanzees but were smaller.
3. Australopithecus: There were three types: anamensis, africanus, and afarensis. They lived between 4.2 and 1.2 MA in Africa. They were herbivores and the first bipedal hominids. Their cranial capacity was 500 cm³.
4. Homo habilis: Lived between 2.5 and 1.6 MA in the savannas of the Rift Valley. They were omnivores, measured 1.3 meters, and weighed 40 kg. Their cranial capacity was 500 cm³. They were the first Homo believed to have descended from Australopithecus. They were the first to use tools and had the ability to speak.
5. Homo ergaster: Lived between 2.5 and 1.6 MA in the savannas of southern and eastern Africa and Asia. They measured 1.8 meters and weighed 60 kg. They were bipedal with a narrow pelvis that hindered the birth canal. Believed to be a subspecies of Homo erectus, they developed and manufactured tools and were the first to migrate out of Africa. They had a cranial capacity between 900 and 1280 cm³.
6. Homo antecessor: Lived 800,000 years ago in Europe. They were omnivorous, had a cranial capacity of 1000 cm³, were bipedal, and were hunters and gatherers who used tools made of bone and wood. They are the last common ancestor between our species and Neanderthals.
7. Homo heidelbergensis: Lived 0.4 MA in Europe. They were omnivorous, measured 1.8 meters, and weighed 90 kg. They had a cranial capacity between 1100 and 1390 cm³. They were the strongest hominids and ancestors of Neanderthals.
8. Homo neanderthalensis: Lived between 0.3 and 0.1 MA in Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. They were omnivorous, measured 1.6 to 1.7 meters, and had a cranial capacity exceeding 1750 cm³, larger than our species. They were bipedal and became extinct due to climate change and direct competition with Homo sapiens.
9. Homo sapiens sapiens: Our species appeared about 150,000 years ago and colonized all terrestrial habitats on the planet. We coexisted with Homo neanderthalensis for about 10,000 years. Our bodies became more slender, and our intelligence and communication skills were fundamental to developing a complex culture and consciousness. Our cranial capacity is about 1400 cm³. (Other hominids include Homo rhodesiensis, archaic Homo sapiens, and those associated with Acheulean and Mousterian cultures.)