Human ancestors migrated around the world much earlier than we thought

From the traditional point of view, early modern groups migrated from Africa 60,000 years ago. Recently, scientists have found evidence that the time when our ancestors began to migrate may be much earlier.

Thousands of years ago, the first ones crossed mountains, deserts and oceans to Africa. Africa is the first place on the map of human evolution, and from there we multiply and spread to Asia and Australia.

Africa is the first place on the map of human evolution.

From a traditional point of view, humanity left Africa 60,000 years ago. Researchers have agreed that most non-Africans today copy their ancestors at the foot of the big migration.

Recently, scientists have discovered some evidence that the time when our ancestors began to migrate may be much earlier, about 120,000 years ago. The first immigrants also had sex with other primates living at the same time as Denisovans (Denisovans living in Siberia, South Asia . and of the same origin as the Neanderthals. Close relatives of the species. this person is extinct. Today we have found genetic traces of these early migrant groups.

Our ancestors started migrating, much earlier, about 120,000 years ago.(Photo: News Leak Center).

New information published in Science urges scientists to adjust their knowledge. According to archaeologist Michael Petraglia from the Max Planck Institute of Human History (Germany) and also a study participant, migration from Africa before the 60,000 year period may be small groups of people looking for food for cattle. Some of these groups have left low-level gene traces in modern humans. The event that took place 60,000 years ago or later is a major migration from Africa.

According to recent findings reviewed in the new study, the story of people evacuating around the world is more complicated than we ever thought.

Maps of locations and migration paths are assumed when modern people search for food in Asia at the end of the Pleistocene 126 years ago (Photo: Katerina Douka, Michelle O'Reilly).

The first fossils were considered "modern people" based on physical moments 200 thousand years ago . The ruins of Homo sapiens found in the Horn of Africa date back to at least 195,000 years old.

In the old view, the use of tools began in Africa 60,000 years ago and spread to the North and East. But some recent studies have demonstrated that more modern behaviors such as using knives, deep-sea fishing and cave art have existed before the big migration. And there are cases where these behaviors are related to the population of other primates. The first modern people looking for animal feed and copulation with these species contributed to the spread of these behaviors.

New perspectives explain why non-Africans today still have about 1-4% of the Neanderthal heritage and modern Melanesia residents of about 5% of Denisovan heritage. These early primate groups and modern humans mate, spreading their culture and genetic material together.

More modern behavior such as using knives, deep-sea fishing and cave art has existed before the big migration.(Photo: News Leak Center).

Thus, in fact, "the spread of the allegedly modern human behavior did not occur in a simple timeless process from west to east," said the team leader from the university. Hawaii in Manoa, Christopher Bae, said.