Our Environment Contents

1. Evolution

Hominids capable of using tools have evolved over the last 2 million years

Evolution of man
1-6 million years ago animation - 0-200,000 years ago animation

Homo habilis, which lived 2 million years ago, appears to have been the first hominid to use recognisable stone tools to butcher its prey. Homo erectus appeared at least 1.5 million years ago. This was a very successful hominid, which used more sophisticated tools and had learnt to use fire. They spread out of Africa and colonised China, the Middle East and Europe. One of our closest relations, Neanderthal man, appears to have emerged about 100,000 years ago. Their remains are spread across the Middle East and Europe. Their tools and social structure were sophisticated and they appear to have been especially well adapted to cooler climates. The reason for the extinction of Neanderthal man is unclear, but from about 32,000 years ago a new hominid started to appear in the fossil record: Homo sapiens. Evidence suggests that Homo sapiens spread quickly across the globe. The current understanding is that this migration originated in Africa, where Homo sapiens first established themselves.

What main types of hominid evolved over the last 2 million years?