Humans have been around for a long time, but just how old are they? It’s a question that has puzzled scientists for centuries. The answer is not as straightforward as it may seem.
The oldest known remains of anatomically modern humans are the Omo I and Omo II skulls. These were found in 1967 in Omo National Park in south-western Ethiopia. The skulls have been dated to 195,000 years ago, highlighting how humans have evolved relatively recently.
The oldest human fossils, however, are much older than the Omo skulls. The oldest known human fossil is a jawbone found in Ethiopia that dates back to 2.8 million years ago. This jawbone is the earliest evidence of Homo erectus, the species that is thought to have evolved into modern humans.
Other fossils have been found that are even older than the jawbone. The oldest known human ancestor is Sahelanthropus tchadensis, which lived in what is now Chad about 7 million years ago. This species is thought to be the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees.
The oldest known human-like species is Ardipithecus ramidus, which lived in Ethiopia about 4.4 million years ago. This species is thought to be the common ancestor of humans and gorillas.
The oldest known human-like species that walked upright is Australopithecus afarensis, which lived in Ethiopia about 3.2 million years ago. This species is thought to be the common ancestor of humans and orangutans.
These fossils provide evidence that humans have been around for a very long time. But it’s important to remember that the fossils are only part of the story. The archaeological record also provides evidence of human activity that dates back tens of thousands of years.
Archaeological evidence suggests that humans have been making tools and using fire for at least 300,000 years. The oldest known human settlement is at Skhul Cave in Israel, which dates back to about 100,000 years ago.
Humans have also been making art for a very long time. The oldest known art is a stone carving from Blombos Cave in South Africa, which dates back to about 75,000 years ago.
So, how old is a human? The answer is that humans have been around for a very long time. The oldest known human remains date back to 195,000 years ago, but the archaeological record suggests that humans have been around for much longer. From stone tools to art, humans have been making their mark on the world for hundreds of thousands of years.