From ancient myths to folklore, from religious beliefs to modern science, the origins of mankind have always been a topic of widespread discussion. Neither the legendary Eve Nuwa nor the God Jesus of faith have been able to give a clear answer.
Human origins can be studied in a variety of ways, from genetic, species evolution, to mythology. However, in academia, it is generally accepted by most experts to approach research from an anatomical point of view.
Humans and other animals of similar genera, such as monkeys, apes, etc., show unique characteristics in bone comparison. First of all, the thickness of the human skull and diaphysis is thinner, but the brain volume is significantly better than that of other species, reaching more than 1,300 milliliters.
Although the area below the orbit is flatter and the distance between the teeth and the upper and lower jaws has been reduced, there is still some disagreement as to whether modern humans can be proved to be Homo sapiens from an anatomical point of view, and how to resolve the controversy between African origin-centrism and multi-regional evolution.
While the Afrocentrists believe that modern man is the vehicle for all the characteristics of Homo sapiens, the multi-regional evolutionary school holds a different view, arguing that the development of Homo sapiens went through two stages, early Homo sapiens and late Homo sapiens (closer to modern man).
The Polycentric Theory of Multi-Region Evolution challenged the widely accepted idea of a single center of human origin. Their theoretical model argues that environmental factors are crucial factors that drive human evolution.
This model reveals a trend in human evolution that has been accompanied by an increase in brain volume and upright walking.
The discovery of late modern human fossils in Australia provides important evidence for the theory of multi-regional evolution, revealing that the African single origin theory ignores the fact that ancient human characteristics have evolved continuously in various regions.
However, the arguments and data based on Neanderthals alone cannot support the study of hominins in other regions. On the contrary, the polycentric view better addresses the regional problem of differences and similarities in the evolution of ancient humans, arguing that there are different groups of human genera in Africa that are marginalized.
In the process of evolution, the human populations in the marginal and central zones gradually developed differences, and these differences led to the diverse characteristics of modern humans, such as the clear distinction between the yellow, black, and white races.
Thus, the Afrocentric, Eurasian subcentric view has been proposed, arguing that the similarities of modern humans are due to exchanges by chance and under environmental pressures.
Multi-regional or polycentric scholars believe that most hominins should have been archaic Homo sapiens, a population that is difficult to define in terms of Eurasia and Africa.
They believe that from ancient times to the present, the characteristics of Chinese fossils show an embedded, linear evolutionary pattern, in which some Asian characteristics appear in Europe, mainly due to Eurasian hybridization.
However, the origins of modern humans are thought to be based on the special study of mitochondria, a substance with strong heritability and low variability. Of these restriction nucleic acids, many of the types of modern humans are derived from three types, one of which is extremely well represented in Asians, so it is inferred that Asians may be the origin of humans.
While this assemblage type can certainly be considered an ancestral type, it does not imply that a higher proportion of people are at the heart of the origin. In addition, the presence of sample differences is also a problem.
When mitochondria were studied, it was found that the higher proportion of people was mainly from the African Bantu population, and its proportion even exceeded that of the Asian population. With the deepening of research, more detailed models and genealogies of mitochondrial ancestor types have been established and further studied through accurate sequencing.
The original view that modern humans originated in Asia lacks substantial evidence to support it. Homo sapiens, as a single and ancient species, gradually formed modern Homo sapiens, that is, progressive Homo erectus, by constantly adding new genes to the existing gene pool.
There are also scholars who put forward the non-Eueuclidean view of Homo sapiens, which was developed on the basis of Eurocentric theories of origin, emphasizing regional evolutionary characteristics.
The researchers built a database of models by analyzing a large number of human bones from 500,000 to tens of thousands of years ago, especially those of the head and jaw.
The findings of these model databases show the existence of a population with significant differences. The overall characteristics of this population are highly similar to the anatomical characteristics of modern humans, so scientists believe that the origin of humans may have come from East or South Africa.
From an anatomical point of view, this population gradually migrated northward and eventually reached North Africa and the Middle East. Here, they communicate and fuse genes from other regions.
New Copy: In these emerging evolutionary models, we can observe species from the Eurasian and African plates, each experiencing self-continuous evolution in their respective geographical regions, as well as the exchange of genes.
These models reveal that in the marginal regions of each continent, the differences in populations are very pronounced, even retaining relatively ancient features. Therefore, the main reason for the fact that modern populations on different continents take on the same nature is that they have evolved in a similar direction over time.
Through the study of molecular biology, the phenomenon of interpopulation hybridization between Homo sapiens and Homo nundiensis and other populations has been revealed. This discovery provides strong evidence for the theory of polycentric and multi-region evolutionary development.
The mutual communication between genes plays a key and vital role in the evolution of human beings. This phenomenon perfectly explains the complex and similar relationship between the three regions of Europe, Asia and Africa.
According to the mainstream view, although there are differences in the migration and migration of ancient humans, Africa has been the source of human evolution for a large proportion, while Asia has become an important site for human evolution.
Therefore, it can be said that Africa was an important source of human evolution, while Asia became an important site of human evolution, and through the mutual genetic exchange between Asia and Africa, the existing human population was formed.