By Tales Pinto
The origin of human beings generates numerous divergences. Numerous origins are pointed out as a result of the answers given to the question:where did we come from? Or perhaps:how did we come to be?
Archaeological and paleological studies help us to understand a little more about our origins
For thousands of years and until today, most civilizations have answered these questions based on their religious perceptions of the world. Greeks, Hindus, Vikings, Jews, among others, believe that the human being emerged from the creation of a deity, or several deities. These explanations are part of what is conventionally called creationism, the explanation that the human being was created at some point by a deity.
But with the development of rationalism in Western Europe and empirical research, scientific theories began to be created to explain the origin of the human being from an evolutionary process that began billions of years ago. years old. These theories and the research on which they are based are subject to constant questioning and continuation, changing according to the results achieved. With regard to the origin of the human being, there are more doubts than certainties about a precise origin. Paleological and archeological research makes it possible to see similarities between humans and some species of apes, which leads to an argument about the existence of a common ancestor. But at some point there was an evolutionary split, which would have given rise to apes and humans as we know them.
Some research suggests that hominids would have given rise to humans. Hominids would be a family that would include the genus australopithecus and also the human race. Among the australopithecus, are the australopithecus animensis , which would have lived between 4.2 and 3.9 million years ago, and australopithecus afarensis , which possibly inhabited the Earth 3.9 to 3 million years ago. The two possibly walked on two feet.
Of the genre homo , the first hominid would be the homo habilis , who lived 2.4 to 1.5 million years ago, making crude stone tools and developing a rudimentary language.
From homo habilis would have descended homo erectus . It inhabited Africa and then reached Europe, Asia and Oceania, around 1.8 million and 300 thousand years ago. He discovered fire, began to cover his body and use more precise instruments and tools, and probably also developed his language better, in view of the new experiences acquired.
Descendant of homo erectus was the homo neanderthalensis , who lived with modern man, but the reasons that led him to disappear are not known. It lived between 230 and 30 thousand years ago, creating sophisticated weapons and tools, as well as burying its dead with flowers and objects.
Also from homo erectus descended the homo sapiens , developer of sophisticated tools, work objects, very well articulated language and an amazing cultural diversity. He himself believes that he is descended from both the gods and the homo erectus. He remains violent like his ancestors. It emerged about 120 thousand years ago and still today inhabits the cities and countryside of the world.