Human Evolution
Humans share a common ancestor with apes.
About this topic
Humans (Homo sapiens) share a common ancestor with the other apes, and our closest living relatives are chimpanzees and bonobos, with which we share about 98–99% of our DNA. Hominin fossils such as Ardipithecus, Australopithecus (Lucy), Homo habilis and Homo erectus show increasing brain size and bipedalism.
Homo sapiens appeared in Africa around 300,000 years ago and spread across the world, meeting Neanderthals and Denisovans, with some interbreeding. Humans are not descended from chimps; both come from a shared ancestor.
Human evolution was not a straight line but a bush with many branching species. Walking upright appeared early, as shown by Lucy, an Australopithecus afarensis about 3.2 million years old, found in Ethiopia. Homo habilis used stone tools, Homo erectus used fire and spread beyond Africa, and Homo sapiens appeared in Africa around 300,000 years ago. Neanderthals were a separate species with whom some of our ancestors interbred, so many people today carry a little Neanderthal DNA.
Brain size increased over time, alongside tool use, language and culture. A common misconception is that humans evolved from chimpanzees; instead, we share a common ancestor that lived around 6 to 7 million years ago. Another is that evolution aims at humans as an end point.
Key ideas
- Bipedalism evolved early
- Homo sapiens arose in Africa
- Fossils like Lucy
Quick check
Use cases: where Human Evolution helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Human Evolution before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Human Evolution without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Human Evolution changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Human Evolution in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Biology underpins medicine, farming, conservation and biotechnology.
Frequently asked questions
What is Human Evolution?
Humans share a common ancestor with apes.
What will I learn in Human Evolution?
Bipedalism evolved early. Homo sapiens arose in Africa. Fossils like Lucy.
Is Human Evolution part of Biology?
Yes. It is one of 150 Biology topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Human Evolution lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Human Evolution?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.