Human

Humans are a type of primate called Homo sapiens, which means "wise man." We first lived in Africa a long time ago before moving all over the world.

Our big brains allow us to use language, create art, and build amazing tools.

Unlike many animals, we are very social and live in groups like families and cities. We are omnivores, which means we eat both plants and meat. One amazing fact is that humans are some of the best long-distance runners in the animal kingdom! We use our curiosity to study science and have even sent people to walk on the moon.

Humans, or Homo sapiens, are the only living members of our biological group. We evolved in Africa about 300,000 years ago and eventually migrated to every continent except Antarctica.

Our large brains, specifically the prefrontal cortex (the part used for complex thinking), allow us to solve difficult problems and create culture. For a long time, humans were hunter-gatherers who moved around to find food. However, about 12,000 years ago, we started farming. This "Neolithic Revolution" led to the first permanent settlements and great civilizations like Ancient Egypt.

Biologically, humans are very similar; any two people are about 99% the same genetically. We are diurnal, which means we are active during the day and usually sleep seven to nine hours at night.

We are also unique because we use complex language to share ideas across generations. Today, there are over 8 billion people on Earth. We have even explored the deep sea and outer space, and humans have lived on the International Space Station every day since the year 2000.

Humans (Homo sapiens) are the most widespread species of primates on Earth. Our name means "wise man," which describes our large, complex brains. We belong to the great ape family and split from the lineage of chimpanzees about 4 to 8 million years ago.

While several species in the genus Homo once lived, such as Homo erectus, we are the only ones left today. Modern humans emerged in Africa roughly 300,000 years ago and began migrating across the globe in waves, eventually reaching the Americas about 15,000 years ago.

Our biology is very specialized. Humans are bipedal, meaning we walk on two legs. This adaptation, along with our ability to sweat and our lack of thick body hair, makes us some of the best long-distance runners in the animal kingdom.

Our brains have a highly developed prefrontal cortex, which allows for reasoning, imagination, and episodic memory. We are also highly social, forming complex groups from small families to entire nations. Social interactions are guided by values, rituals, and laws that help us cooperate.

The way humans live has changed drastically over time. For most of our history, we lived in small groups as hunter-gatherers. This changed with the Neolithic Revolution about 12,000 years ago when we began farming and domesticating animals. This led to food surpluses, permanent settlements, and the rise of great civilizations like Ancient Egypt, where the Great Pyramids were built.

Humans eventually developed writing, mathematics, and complex trade routes to exchange goods like spices and silk.

Today, technology defines much of the human experience. We have moved from using simple stone tools 2.5 million years ago to creating the Internet, maglev trains, and artificial intelligence.

We are a "cosmopolitan" species, meaning we can live in almost any environment, from frozen arctic regions to crowded cities, thanks to our ability to create clothing and shelter. However, our large population of over 8 billion people has a massive impact on the planet. Our use of fossil fuels and land development has led to environmental changes and the extinction of other forms of life.

Humans, scientifically classified as Homo sapiens (meaning "wise man"), are the most abundant and widespread species of primates on Earth. Characterized by bipedality and large, complex brains, we have developed advanced tools, culture, and language. While the term "human" can refer to all members of the genus Homo, it usually refers to Homo sapiens, the only member of the genus still in existence. The species was formally named by Carl Linnaeus in his 1735 work Systema Naturae.

Our evolutionary journey began in Africa. Humans belong to the biological family of great apes, having shared a last common ancestor with chimpanzees and bonobos approximately 4 to 8 million years ago. During this divergence, a significant genetic event occurred where two chromosomes joined to form human chromosome 2, leaving humans with 23 pairs compared to the 24 found in other apes. The genus Homo evolved from Australopithecus, with the earliest record being a 2.8 million-year-old specimen called LD 350-1. Homo erectus was the first archaic human to leave Africa 2 million years ago, while Homo sapiens emerged roughly 300,000 years ago. Through migration waves starting 130,000 years ago, humans colonized every continent except Antarctica, sometimes interbreeding with other groups like Neanderthals and Denisovans.

Biologically, humans are remarkably similar; any two individuals share about 99.5% to 99.9% of their DNA. Despite visible differences like skin color, which correlates with ultraviolet radiation levels, the greatest genetic variation exists between males and females. Humans are omnivores who have used fire to cook food since the time of Homo erectus. We have a unique life cycle where infants are born helpless and require years of care from both parents. Interestingly, human females undergo menopause, which may allow them to invest more resources into their grandchildren (the "grandmother hypothesis") rather than continuing to bear children into old age.

For most of our history, humans lived as hunter-gatherers. This changed 12,000 years ago with the Neolithic Revolution, when we began farming and domesticating animals. This led to permanent settlements and the rise of civilizations in places like Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley.

By 3000 BCE, humans invented writing, such as cuneiform, and complex technology like the wheel. Over time, trade routes connected different cultures, leading to a "cultural explosion" of ideas and resources. This development of trade is a defining characteristic that differentiates humans from other animals.

Human psychology is defined by a large prefrontal cortex, the brain region associated with higher cognition. This allows for self-awareness, imagination, and the ability to form views on existence. We use complex language to share knowledge across generations, with about 6,000 languages spoken today.

Humans are also highly social, creating rituals, values, and laws to help large groups cooperate. However, we also engage in organized conflict; it is estimated that between 167 million and 188 million people died in 20th-century wars alone.

Today, there are over 8.3 billion humans, with more than half living in urban areas.

We have used our technology to explore the deep sea and outer space, with a continuous human presence on the International Space Station since 2000.

While our ability to manipulate the environment has brought great comfort and material wealth, it has also caused significant pollution and contributed to the ongoing mass extinction of other species. As we move further into the Information Age, humans continue to use science and philosophy to understand our fundamental truths and our place in the universe.