A breakthrough in human evolution: who was the first human to leave Africa?

One of the most important questions in human evolution concerns the identity of the first human to leave Africa. A new study, however, fundamentally challenges the central role traditionally attributed to Homo erectus and suggests that humanity’s first major migration began much earlier, through far more complex evolutionary processes.

Skulls discovered at Dmanisi in Georgia, dating back nearly 1.85 million years, call into question the long-held theory that Homo erectus was the first human species to leave Africa. According to recent research, the remains not only represent more than one human species but also point towards a far more complex, mosaic pattern of human evolution, reports IFLScience.

The remains of the human who left Africa

The earliest human fossils found outside Africa originate from Dmanisi, Georgia, and are approximately 1.85 million years old. For a long time, these skulls were collectively classified as Homo georgicus, which researchers regarded as an archaic variant of Homo erectus. This interpretation fitted well with the idea that Homo erectus was the first human to leave Africa.

However, since their discovery, the Dmanisi finds have caused considerable debate about human evolution within the scientific community. The skulls differ strikingly from one another in both size and shape, to such an extent that some specimens appear almost diminutive compared to others. For many years, this variation was explained by sexual dimorphism, meaning significant anatomical differences between males and females.

Not all researchers accepted this explanation, and an increasing number began to suggest that the Dmanisi site may in fact preserve the remains of several different human species.

• The Flores man’s disappearance may have finally been explained

Two species, one site

A recent study has shed new light on the issue. Researchers analysed the dental characteristics of three Dmanisi specimens and compared them with 583 fossil teeth belonging to other ancient human species. Based on the results, they concluded that the assemblage represents two distinct species: the already known Homo georgicus and a newly identified species, Homo caucasicus.