Who
Compared to some species of beings we humans are quite new to the scene. Dinosaurs were around long before us and existed for an astounding period of time, some 185 million years. By comparison, we humans have existed, in what we now understand as our present form, for 2 million years. The primate line, gorillas, chimpanzees and our human line springs from an ancient being who lived 10 million years ago. Gorillas separated out 6 million years ago and we humans split from the chimpanzees 2 million years ago and settled in Africa.
Once we were established, different forms of our species arose and spread from Africa north and eastward and also into Europe. These subspecies, essential cousins to humans, we know today as Neanderthals and Denisovans. This situation remained static until about 50,000 years ago when a small group of humans, possibly as few as 10,000, left Africa and proceeded on a journey over thousands of years eventually populating the entire world. Just about every one alive today originates from that small, venturous group of Africans.
Up until quite recently the human society believed the earth had always existed and we humans were at the apex, the foremost of all the creatures on the earth. And it had always been that way, forever back into the past.
In the 1800s Charles Darwin’s great discoveries led to an understanding that all creatures including humans arise from older versions of themselves, with changes occurring when environmental advantages, we now understand as mutations, spread to offspring.
Once Darwin explained how all creatures change over the eons of time, scientists investigated how the human population existed over the period of 35,000 years during the migrations to people the world. They were hunter gatherers following the herds for food and living on nature which provided subsistence. Humans lived during these times in egalitarian societies with men and women considered equals as it required all in the group to contribute to the benefit of all.
Is war in our blood? Perhaps not, if you believe a controversial new study that suggests violence in primitive cultures is overwhelmingly the result of personal squabbles, rather than organized violence between two different groups. This finding contradicts the popular view that humans have evolved to be innately warlike.
Genetics have clearly shown that dogs originated from wolves. Dogs evolved to be man’s best friend about 15,000 years ago when a few more adventurers wolves came into camp sites to scrounge scraps of food. Eventually they became part of the human society enjoying feeding by the group while providing early warning of strangers outside the camp site - a mutually beneficial arrangement.
By 10,00 years ago cities arose and the equal standing of the citizenship changed. Freedom from the burden of full time efforts to find food allowed some to gain more wealth than others. Wealthy men took many wives to father many children, thus establishing large families to protect their standing. We were on our way to our modern society.
Up until quite recently the human society believed the earth had always existed and we humans were at the apex, the foremost of all the creatures on the earth. And it had always been that way, forever back into the past.
In the 1800s Charles Darwin’s great discoveries led to an understanding that all creatures including humans arise from older versions of themselves, with changes occurring when environmental advantages, we now understand as mutations, spread to offspring.
Once Darwin explained how all creatures change over the eons of time, scientists investigated how the human population existed over the period of 35,000 years during the migrations to people the world. They were hunter gatherers following the herds for food and living on nature which provided subsistence. Humans lived during these times in egalitarian societies with men and women considered equals as it required all in the group to contribute to the benefit of all.
Is war in our blood? Perhaps not, if you believe a controversial new study that suggests violence in primitive cultures is overwhelmingly the result of personal squabbles, rather than organized violence between two different groups. This finding contradicts the popular view that humans have evolved to be innately warlike.
Genetics have clearly shown that dogs originated from wolves. Dogs evolved to be man’s best friend about 15,000 years ago when a few more adventurers wolves came into camp sites to scrounge scraps of food. Eventually they became part of the human society enjoying feeding by the group while providing early warning of strangers outside the camp site - a mutually beneficial arrangement.
By 10,00 years ago cities arose and the equal standing of the citizenship changed. Freedom from the burden of full time efforts to find food allowed some to gain more wealth than others. Wealthy men took many wives to father many children, thus establishing large families to protect their standing. We were on our way to our modern society.
