Homo erectus

Homo erectus was an extinct species of early human that lived during the Pleistocene. It was the first human species to look like us, walk like us, leave Africa, and live in Asia and Europe. It was also the first to use fire.

The skull of H. erectus had strong brow ridges, a sticking-out jaw, and big teeth. Its bones were thicker than our bones today. East Asian groups often had even stronger bones and bigger brains, while Western groups had slightly smaller brains.

H. erectus made the Acheulean tool industry. They created large, heavy stone tools for cutting meat, preparing plants, and working with wood. It was a main hunter of large animals on the open grasslands and is often called the first hunter-gatherer. The species was last seen around 108,000 to 117,000 years ago in Southeast Asia.

Taxonomy

See also: Human taxonomy

Research history

In the late 1800s, many scientists believed humans first evolved in Asia. Dutch scientist Eugène Dubois looked for early human remains in Java. In 1891, he found a skullcap and a tooth and named them "Pithecanthropus erectus". Later, more fossils were found in China and Indonesia. These discoveries showed scientists that early humans lived in many parts of the world.

Subspecies

Scientists have found many fossils of Homo erectus in Africa, Asia, and Europe. These fossils sometimes look different, so some scientists gave them different names. Common names include H. e. erectus for Indonesian fossils, H. e. pekinensis for Chinese fossils, and H. e. ergaster for African fossils. These names help scientists discuss where and when the fossils were found.

Evolution and dispersal

See also: Human evolution and Early expansions of hominins out of Africa

Homo erectus evolved in Africa from an earlier human-like species called H. habilis. They were the first human-like species to leave Africa, spreading to Asia and Europe. They lived from about 2 million years ago until around 100,000 years ago. H. erectus evolved into later human species, including the ancestors of modern humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans.

Biology

Homo erectus looked more like us than earlier human relatives. They were the first human species to walk fully upright and had bodies made for walking long distances. Their heads had thick bones around the eyes and a bony ridge on top of the skull.

Homo erectus came in different sizes, but most were about as tall as a modern adult. Their brains were a bit smaller than ours. They were the first human species known to use fire and tools. This helped them leave Africa and live in many parts of the world.

Culture

Homo erectus was an early human species. They could hunt large animals and use tools. They might have worked together in groups to find food. Fossils of H. erectus are often found near big animals like elephants and rhinos. This suggests they ate these animals or took food from them.

Homo erectus made simple stone tools. They used these tools to cut meat and prepare plants. They were also the first human species known to use fire. Fire helped them cook food and stay warm. Some groups of H. erectus traveled far over water to reach islands. This shows they could build simple boats or use things that float to cross oceans.