HUMAN LIFE 4000000 YEARS BACK

 

Life for humans that lived 4 million years ago was very different from life today. First of all, they were not exactly humans, but hominids, which were the earliest human-like creatures. They diverged from other primates somewhere between 2.5 and 4 million years ago in eastern and southern Africa. One of the most important traits that they developed was bipedalism, the ability to walk on two legs. This freed their hands for other tasks, such as carrying food or tools.

However, walking on two legs also exposed them to predators and harsh weather. They had to adapt to various environments, such as savannas, woodlands and mountains. They also had to compete with other hominid species, such as Australopithecus and Paranthropus, for resources and territory. They had a smaller brain than modern humans, about the size of a chimpanzees. They probably did not have language or complex culture, but they may have communicated with gestures and sounds.

They used simple stone tools to cut meat and plants, and possibly to dig for tubers or roots. They also scavenged animal carcasses left by other predators. They ate a varied diet that included fruits, nuts, seeds, leaves, insects, eggs, and meat. They lived in small groups of about 10 to 20 individuals, mostly related by blood or mating. They had a short lifespan, rarely living beyond 30 years. They faced many dangers, such as diseases, injuries, starvation, droughts, floods, fires, and attacks by wild animals or rival hominids.

They were not a single species, but a diverse group of hominins that evolved and went extinct over time. Some of the best-known examples are Homo habilis, Homo rudolfensis, Homo ergaster, and Homo erectus. They gradually spread out of Africa into Asia and Europe, where they encountered new challenges and opportunities. They also interbred with other human species, such as Neanderthals and Denisovans. They were the ancestors of modern humans, who emerged about 300,000 years ago in Africa.

Life for humans that lived 4 million years ago was a struggle for survival and adaptation. They were pioneers of human evolution who paved the way for our species.