The first humans: a long time ago!

The first ancient humans, called Hominins, lived around 6 to 7 million years ago. That sounds like a long time, but it is actually just a small part of Earth’s history, especially compared to dinosaurs, who ruled the planet for about 252 million years!

One important discovery was made in Africa, where scientists found the skull of an early human. It was discovered by Mary Leakey, the wife of famous scientist Dr. Lous Leakey, and it was about 1.75 million years old!

Ancient Human Cultures

Over the past 7 million years, there have been several types of ancient humans. Here are some of the most important:

Home Erectus

Lived: About 600,00 years ago

Brain Size: 1,250cc

Fun fact: They might have been the first to build shelters

Neanderthals

Lived: 430,000 to 40,000 years ago

Brain Size: 1,700 cc ( the biggest of all ancient humans!)

Modern Humans ( Homo sapiens)

Still here today!

Average Brain Size 1,350 cc

Fun Fact: Even though our brains aren’t the biggest, we have developed the most advanced languages, tools, and art.

Does a bigger brain mean smarter?

Not always! Even though Neanderthals had bigger brains than us, that doesn’t mean they were smarter.

Intelligence depends on how the brain is structured and used, not just its size.