Anthropology
7 questions tagged Anthropology — spanning every one of the seven Ws.
When did the first humans appear?
Anatomically modern humans, Homo sapiens, emerged in Africa roughly 300,000 years ago. Our wider genus, Homo, dates back more than 2 million years.
When did agriculture begin?
Farming began around 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, as people domesticated wild plants and animals at the end of the last Ice Age.
When did humans first reach the Americas?
Humans reached the Americas at least 15,000 years ago, and possibly earlier, likely crossing from Asia during the last Ice Age.
When Did the Neolithic Revolution Happen?
The Neolithic Revolution — the transition from hunter-gatherer nomadism to settled agriculture — began independently in several regions starting about 12,000 years ago (circa 10,000 BCE) in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East.
Whose Fossil Discoveries Proved Human Evolution in Africa?
The Leakey family — Louis, Mary, and Richard Leakey — made landmark fossil discoveries in East Africa from the 1940s onward that proved humans evolved in Africa, confirming Charles Darwin prediction.
When Did Agriculture First Develop?
Agriculture first developed independently in several regions starting around 10,000-12,000 years ago, after the last Ice Age; the earliest known farming arose in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, transforming human society forever.
Where is the Olduvai Gorge?
Olduvai Gorge is in northern Tanzania, within the East African Rift system. It is one of the most important sites for early human fossils and stone tools.