The origin of mankind
The human species has a long and complicated evolutionary history. Our genus, Homo, first appeared around 2.8 million years ago, although the first Homo sapiens (modern humans) didn't appear until around 200,000 years ago. Since then, we have undergone many changes, both biologically and culturally. The exact mechanisms by which we evolved are still being debated by scientists, but there are some general consensus about some of the major steps. The first Homo species likely evolved from a common ancestor with the chimpanzee. This common ancestor is thought to have been a small, arboreal (tree-dwelling) creature with a brain size of around 600cc. Over the course of millions of years, natural selection led to the evolution of larger brains in the Homo lineage. This is thought to be due to the benefits of increased intelligence, such as the ability to make better tools, solve complex problems, and communicate more effectively. Larger brains require more energy to function, so ...