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Our species emerged in Africa more than 300,000 years ago, with a migration out of the continent 60,000 to 70,000 years ago heralding the start of the global spread of Homo sapiens.
Where did the pioneers go after departing from Africa?
Scientists announced on Monday that these groups of hunter-gatherers remained a uniform community in a central area spanning Iran, southeast Iraq, and northeast Saudi Arabia for many millennia before settling in Asia and Europe approximately 45,000 years ago.
The team’s conclusions were influenced by genetic data from both ancient and contemporary gene pools, as well as evidence from paleoecology that indicated this area was an optimal habitat. The scientists referred to this region, which is part of the Persian Plateau, as a central location for these individuals, who likely had a small population of only a few thousand. They eventually migrated to other faraway places thousands of years later.
“We have obtained a complete understanding of the ancestral migration patterns of all current non-African populations during the initial stages of colonizing Eurasia,” stated Luca Pagani, a molecular anthropologist from the University of Padova in Italy and senior author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications.
The Evolution of Man series depicts the transition from Australopithecus to Homo sapiens.
The research, co-authored by anthropologist Michael Petraglia, who is also the director of the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution at Griffith University, focuses on unraveling the mystery of human evolution and migration across the globe. This study sheds light on our past and our journey as a species.
Petraglia stated that by utilizing both genetic and paleoecological models, they were able to anticipate the initial dwelling place of early human populations upon their departure from Africa.
According to the researchers, these individuals resided in compact and nomadic groups of hunters and gatherers. The central area provided access to a diverse range of habitats, including woodlands, meadows, and grassy plains, which changed periodically between dry and moist periods.
According to Petraglia, there were plenty of resources at hand and there is proof that wild gazelles, sheep, and goats were being hunted.
Petraglia stated that the diet of these people likely consisted of plants and various types of animals, ranging from small to large. It appears that they followed a seasonal way of life, with those in lowland areas during the colder months and those in mountainous regions during the warmer months.
According to Pagani, the individuals who were living in the central area at that point in time were presumed to have dark complexion and dark hair, possibly similar to the current Gumuz or Anuak communities residing in certain regions of East Africa.
According to Pagani, the emergence of cave art coincided with the departure of people from the hub. It is possible that these forms of cultural expression were developed while still in the hub.
According to the researchers, their eventual separation in various directions from the central point laid the foundation for the genetic differences between modern-day East Asians and Europeans.
Paleoartist John Gurche spent approximately 700 hours using bone scans to recreate the head of Homo naledi.
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The research utilized both contemporary and historic genetic information from populations in Europe and Asia.
According to molecular anthropologist and lead researcher Leonardo Vallini from the University of Padova and the University of Mainz in Germany, we found the oldest genomes, which were dated between 45,000 and 35,000 years ago, to be especially helpful.
The scientists developed a method to unravel the widespread intermingling of genetic traits among populations that has happened since the migration from the center, in order to identify this specific area.
There were earlier small-scale excursions of Homo sapiens out of Africa before the pivotal migration 60,000 to 70,000 years ago, but these appear to have been dead-ends.
The first human species to inhabit outside of Africa, including the hub area, was not Homo sapiens. Evidence of interbreeding between our species and Neanderthals is shown by a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA in modern non-Africans.
According to Vallini, Neanderthals inhabited the region before Homo sapiens arrived, making it a likely location for their interaction.
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