According to Skeletal and DNA evidence suggests that our species, Homo sapiens, evolved in Africa and then spread across the globe. The first traces of modern humans beyond Africa come from fossils in Israel and possibly from stone tools found in Arabia. They date to before 100,000 years ago (1), but there are a few updates and additional details worth mentioning:
More recent fossil evidence suggests that modern humans may have emerged even earlier than 100,000 years ago. For example, fossils found in Morocco have been dated to around 315,000 years ago and are considered to be among the earliest known remains of Homo sapiens. (2).
There is ongoing debate about whether modern humans emerged from a single origin in Africa or multiple dispersals from different regions within Africa. Some genetic studies suggest that there may have been multiple dispersals from different populations within Africa.
The timing and routes of the earliest human migrations out of Africa are still being researched. While the statement mentions Israel and Arabia, there is also evidence of early modern human presence in other regions, such as Greece (around 210,000 years ago) and China (around 120,000 years ago).
Recent genomic studies have provided insights into the interbreeding between modern humans and other ancient human species, such as Neanderthals and Denisovans, as modern humans migrated out of Africa and encountered these populations.
Overall, the field of human evolution and migration continues to evolve with new fossil and genetic evidence being uncovered and analyzed.
1. Smithsonian Timelines of History
by D.K. Publishing ISBN: 0756686814 ISBN13: 9780756686819
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
ISBN: 0756686814
ISBN13: 9780756686819
Release Date: September 2011
Publisher: DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley)
Length: 512 Pages
Weight: 5.90 lbs.
Dimensions: 1.4″ x 10.2″ x 12.1″
2. Hublin, J.-J., Ben-Ncer, A., Bailey, S. E., Freidline, S. E., Neubauer, S., Skinner, M. M., Bergmann, I., Le Cabec, A., Benazzi, S., Harvati, K., & Gunz, P. (2017). New fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco and the pan-African origin of Homo sapiens. Nature, 546(7657), 289–292. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature22336
This study, published in the journal Nature in 2017, describes the discovery of fossilized remains, including skull fragments, teeth, and bones, from the Jebel Irhoud site in Morocco. Using advanced dating techniques, the researchers estimated the age of these fossils to be around 315,000 years old.
The researchers argue that these fossils exhibit characteristics that are consistent with modern Homo sapiens, such as a modern-looking face and dentition. This suggests that the origins of our species may be older than previously thought, potentially pushing back the emergence of Homo sapiens to over 300,000 years ago in Africa.