SOmething about PAST to know in PRESENT

25 Million Years ago, a new Species appeared on Earth due to the job of Evolution, The Great Apes. Among them, there was one family with extraordinary abilities. They were our distant ancestors. Through evolution they gave rise to more advanced species. They ventured far and wide, hunted, possessed tools, practiced love and war. They competed with the great beasts, conquered the planet and adapted to every climate. They became us, Homo Sapiens. Where and when did our lineage begun? What is that Quality that makes us Human? The difference that sets apart from other animals?

[ Disclaimer: I am going to tell you about the emergence of Homo Sapiens (us, Humans) in a way of story highlighting the important phases alone. Those who are interested may move on further. BTW, I am not gonna use complex science terms which myself I do not know :D

( 2500 words ) ]

It all started at a time of Intense Global Warming with the vast Tethys Oceanfragmenting and closing off in the near east, humid forests spread north from Africa. Our distant ancestors followed the forest and rapidly populated the ancient world. This is the age of planet of the apes.

Just like you have many breeds in Dogs, there were hundred different species like the gigantopithecus, Ramapithecus who lived from Europe to modern-day China. Among these were our ancestors.

There was a humid tropical forest in the Mediterranean coast in Modern day Spain. There lived a creature with exceptional abilities. Our forefather, Pierolapithecus ! What makes him our great grandfather? We are only beginning to Understand. Pierola lives in the Trees and mainly eats fruits. He hangs on the branches to move around as he is too heavy to walk on the Branches. Of course, He can walk. Contrary to the common belief, Bipedalism (moving by two legs) was not invented on the grounds, but on Branches, and that too not my us, The great Apes. If you look at the family traditions of the Pierola, a male after reaching adolescence should leave the family and get adopted by others ,while the females stay.

But, to get adapted is not an easy task as intruders are rarely welcomed in a family. Our ancestors possessed a new quality previously unknown in the animal kingdom. Something shared by a very few species. EMPATHY. Scientifically, Females are more emotional. That was the case with Pierolas too. So, the distress of a homeless young male was understood and it was accepted by the families after many attempts of making contact. Empathy is a powerful force. It is the thing that allows us to live in society today.

Out of all the foods in the forests, some are really poisonous. How did the Pierolas know what is edible and what not? The answer is sharing experiences.A mother teaches her infant those stuff such that the knowledge is passed from generation to generation. The beginning of a culture.

Most mammals only sleep for a few minutes at a time, not Pierolas! In terms of sleeping, they are revolutionaries. They have come up with an extraordinary invention. They build nests in the trees and up there they are protected from their predators & their leave-mats stop them from falling. Sleep allows our brain to sort information and improves our mental faculties. Pierolas have passed this down to us. MAYBE, Without this invention, we could have never become humans.

Most importantly, when a orphaned pierola gets accepted into a new family, it also brings with it the knowledge of the other groups. The Spread of Knowledge.

Ofcourse, our ancestors lived in a Earthly paradise with Fruits in abundance, fresh water available everywhere and in all seasons. But, this period of prosperity cannot last.

Tectonic Activity. The Earth was Moving and the great period of Climatic cooling was around the corner. Our ancestors had to leave to escape this place. And, so the great Exodus began! Africa was on a collision course with Europe. The Climate of the Planet changed dramatically. The humid forests of Europe disappeared. The same happened in large parts of Asia where the forests of China and Japan fragmented. The Asiatic great apes migrated towards South Asia. They gave rise to the ancestors of the Gibbon and the Orangutan .

The African continent has just closed the Strait of Gibraltar cut off from the water of the Atlantic. The Mediterranean dried out and became a dead sea. Pierolas and their relatives crossed the dry Mediterranean. They migrated towards Africa where the forests was spreading notably on the vast green plains of Sahara.

Pierolas evolved and became a new species with new more astonishing abilities.

This new ancestor is called Sahelanthropus or Toumai.

Toumai lived on the shores of Lake Chad. They were probably our common ancestor with modern chimpanzees. Toumais still slept on the trees but had found plenty to do on the ground with a varied food supply. As the foods were of diversity. “How to Eat” factor was tedious. They invented different tools for different foods. They tried to benefit from all nature’s gifts.

They have also improved this strange way of movement, walking on two feet. Using that, they were able to carry objects for a long distance. The social structure with reference to a group changed, not with the adoption policy. But with respect to the dominance (kind of leader) of a member in a group. So, the one who had much influence expected respect. And, for any sort of disrespect showed its force (strength) to teach a lesson. They just did not rely on strength to stay on top. It also built friendships with several allies within the group. That included praising a male knowing its threat one day or sweet talking a female.

Alliances, Strategies, Betrayal, Conquest and Power.

This type of society has given rise to Politics. The Toumai’s greatest change in Social structure, however, was PREFERENCE. A male and a female can decide to get away from the group just to spend some time together.

Then, Toumai also started to understand the concept of death, the loss of life, the loss of a being. Previously, when a fellow-group-member died, they just shed some tears and left the body behind as it is. Then, they understood their own lives will end. Faced with suffering and confusion, they started to gather around the dead of the departed friend. Gathering, the feeling of being a group, united in space and time. It marked the beginning of a ritual, a funeral ceremony.

It’s not that awareness of death that made us human. We also share this knowledge with many other species, including the chimpanzees.

But, Toumais were also the Victims of greed. When they encountered with the resources of other similar groups, they wanted it for them too. But, that would be a tough gain! The key to satisfy the greed was a previously UNIMAGINED IDEA that would make our ancestors ONE OF THE most dangerous predator on the Planet. The idea was to kill. Killing one’s own Species. Killing with premeditation in an organized way. Killing to take the goods of others. War was invented. And, with that they conquered new territories.

Five million years ago Africa begsn to dry out. The great forests of the Sahara receded and placed pressure on the descendants of the Toumai. They separated into several families some evolved along the lines of the chimpanzees and gorillas. Some abandoned bipedalism and invented a new way of getting around on four feet. Others evolved along the line of humans. They were spread throughout Africa, especially in the east. There we find a great family of Australopithecus.

Just like during the world war, millions of people sought refugee and migrated in masses, (which is termed as DIASPORA), between four and two million years ago, there was a great DIASPORA which saw many species like the africanus,anamensis etc.

Around two million years ago, a new character appeared in South Africa. He was called Sediba. Whether he is an Australopithecus or the first man? That question hasn’t been solved yet. They lived in the south of the Africa. There was drought. Despite spending their majority of time on grounds, they still depended on trees for protection from their predators. There was no more fruits on the trees, it was just underground which needed a tough chewing. There was extreme scarcity of food, if they did not find an alternative, they would all die.

They needed to adapt to survive. Fortunately, years of evolution has led to a highly developed brain. Inside their brains, a revolutionary ideas took place. Attempting the impossible, the desire to eat meat outweighing the dangers of Savanna. The brave ones that took this reckless decision could not have known the profound effect that it would have on our species. They began searching CARCASS and the solution was found. Fats were so rare in nature, but the meat had abundance which meant TASTE. It was so rich in energy and thus important for the digestion of Animal PROTEINS.

It's easier to digest than roots and the body feels lighter. Meat gives the sensation of well-being and a sounder sleep. The second effect will take hundreds of thousands of years. Less energy consumed by the stomach means more energy for the brain. Thanks to that, our mental capacity will improve and our bodies become taller and slimmer. That means, a generation was approaching whose ingenuity will prove the decisive advantage.

Some were brave about exploring the dangers and wanted a better life while some wanted the shelter of their tree. Some stayed back, later became Paranthropus and the rest were ready to risk everything for a better life. Those who left the tree had to invent a new way of living.

After the Sediba, a new species emerged, a very mobile man.

The next character is Homo erectus !

Five million years ago the two Americas collided. This led to the creation of the Gulf Stream. The polar icecap formed, the earth cooled and entered the Ice Age. The green plains of the Sahara dried out.

Two million years ago, populations of herbivores left Africa in search of new pastures. Homo Erectus followed. Some of our ancestors migrated to Europe others to Asia. They crossed mountains and deserts, forests and swamps. They traveled unthinkable distances into the unknown. Driven by the spirit of conquest passed down to them from their ancestors, they migrate to the far east.

Homo Erectus possessed the anatomy of a champion. This man of the plains was born to run. A vertical body propelled by his long legs and balanced by his arms. He iwas equipped with an extraordinary internal cooling system, a body covered in short hairs, sweat glands that allow perspiration, and in his brain a blood-purifying system that regulates body temperature. This gave him the most stamina of any living creature. Homo erectus has now become a big game hunter.

When their prey was exhausted, they set the trap and hunt down. If you look at the social structure, the rule of the strongest is replaced by the rule of the cleverest. They were no longer scavengers competing with vulture. They had their weapons and their collective organization made them to compete with top predators.

They were dependent on their prey and had to follow them everywhere. They became nomads. So, they built shelters on their travels. Homo Erectus has created a complex society. Now, each member of the group had a role to play depending upon their skills. To protect their bodies, they had clothes made from plants, bark etc.

The world was still full of unexpected phenomena. Homo Erectus had an inquiring mind, trying to make sense of the mysteries, that surround them. They did not the element of fire, till then, until they encountered with a forest fire. What was that new odor in the burnt forest? What’s that mouth-watering smells? Those were the questions in the mind of homo erectus. They were excited when they tasted the flesh of a burnt animal.

Yes, Again a greed played a role. Maybe, that was how the remarkable property of Fire, to cook food, was discovered? Cooked food are delicious .They require 16 times less energy to digest. Cooked food will allow us to reduce the size of our jaw muscles and develop our brains. We will walk with a lighter step and think clearer. Our brains would become high-powered machines capable of associations constructed thoughts, and new emotions. It is likely that the aesthetic sense developed at this time.

But, not all the groups possessed the knowledge about the new ingredient. When they encountered with a group who knows how to control fire, they wanted to capture the technology.

Here KILLING was not an option as this was not about conquering, because this required sharing of knowledge, a technology. One will not do it for free. Yes, there should be benefits for the clans. If, One clan had the technology and the other had a skill that the former lacked, they may exchange it? Perhaps, This period saw the first instance of trade. A new era of Humanity. The Exchange of Knowledge.

With that trade, even those groups began merging into one and share all their stories with each other. Thanks to the development of our left brain and a small evolution in the throat the larynx, our speech became so articulate that we could evoke the past, speak of the future recount stories imagine. They began sharing each others’ experiences, who are they, where were they from and so on. Perhaps, the ability to tell one’s story makes us human?? I don’t know . . .

Homo Erectus continued to populate the earth. With their skills they adapted to every climate. Different populations began to diverge genetically and gave rise to new types of man.

At least six species of humans populated the ancient world. Each developed according to their environment and created its own culture. But this multi-faceted humanity did not last long.

Homo sapiens replaced them all.

Around a 100,000 years ago, Homo sapiens turned the world of man upside down, invented more complex societies and proved more inventive in every area. How will he go on to invent art, skill,beliefs, magic,writing, medicine and science? His extraordinary imagination certainly helps, but so does the knowledge accumulated,by his forefathers.

Homo sapiens left, just like his ancestors to conquer the world. He left Africa and spread out across the globe. He mastered navigation. Crossed the seas and vast spacial expanses. He traveled to Australia, to America over the Bering Strait and soon inhabited the entire planet. He occasionally intermingled with those that went before, but everywhere he went the other species of man disappeared.

His appearance changed according to climate and place. His skin, his hair, the shape of his eyes. From him arose a multitude of peoples all looking different,but deep down the genes are the same.

AND, THE REST IS HISTORY !!

SOURCE: I learnt about this from a documentary named, “The First Man” in the Curiosity Stream. Though majority of the words is from the film, I omitted many to trim my answer. I also removed some unwanted sub-plots and I just modified the narration a bit. [ First Man Trailer -YouTube ]