- [Narrator] Millions of years before industry,
agriculture and civilization
the world stage was set for one creature's
unprecedented rise.
The story of humanity's evolution
began about seven million years ago
when the human lineage broke away from that of chimpanzees.
Over time an ensemble cast of over 20 early humans species
or hominins came to the fore.
Most became extinct
while others might have been ancestors to today's humans.
Each species exhibited varying degrees
of human like physical and behavioral traits
such as large brains, small teeth, bipedality and tool use.
These hominins fell into three major groups.
Early hominins, australopithecines, and homo genus.
Humanity's earliest relatives
lived between seven and 4.4 million years ago in Africa.
Having most recently shared a common ancestor
with chimpanzees they had many ape-like traits
such as a small cranial capacity.
However fossils show that some ancient hominins
were also beginning to show human-like characteristics
such as small canines that were likely used more for eating
and not for hunting or fighting.
The next phase of hominin evolution
involved primates called australopithecines.
They lived between 4.4 and 1.4 million years ago
across the African continent.
Like their ancient brethren
australopithecines had some ape-like traits.
However changes in the skull, spine and legs
indicate a notable shift toward a very human-like trait.
Consistent bipedal locomotion.
The third and current phase of human evolution
involves members of the genus homo.
The earliest homo species likely date
to more than two million years ago
making them a contemporary of some australopithecines.
But unlike earlier hominins
who exhibited a mosaic of ape and human-like traits.
Homo species were becoming distinctly more human.
Their cranial capacity was growing larger
than any other hominins.
They developed sophisticated stone tool technology.
And they became the first to control fire.
These physical and behavioral adaptations
along with advancements in technology
allowed some homo species to be the first
to migrate out of Africa and explore the rest of the world.
While a cast of over 20 hominin species
have walked this Earth only one remains.
Homo sapiens shaped by millions of years of evolution
embarked on a journey of exploration and industry
its ancestors could have only dreamed.