Does anyone know the origin of mankind?

Europe, especially western Europe, was once considered as the birthplace of mankind.

Since Darwin founded the theory of biological evolution, most people think that human beings are the product of biological evolution, and modern people and modern apes have the same ancestor. But when and where did this branch of human beings separate from the same ancestor? What is the sign of his separation? When and where did primitive people become real people? ...

Paleoanthropologists have been trying to find the correct answers to this series of questions. Most paleoanthropologists believe that real people are marked by making tools. Before real people appeared, scientists called them "predecessors". Erection is a morphological sign that predecessors separated from the trunk of ape ancestors, and the area he separated from the trunk can be described as the earliest cradle of mankind. Real people constantly evolve and develop, eventually becoming modern people, and at the same time forming different modern races. The area that completed this evolution process is the last cradle of human evolution.

When exploring the origin of human beings, we must first establish a premise that human beings are a biological species and can only have one ancestor, not multiple ancestors. It can't be said that black people have one ancestor and white people have another ancestor. Because although different species can intermarry, they can't have offspring, and only the same species can have children. If we advocate the multi-ancestor theory of human beings, we will make common sense mistakes in biology. It has been proved that human multi-ancestor or pluralism is contrary to scientific common sense.

Where did humans separate from the trunk of apes? Is it in Africa and then into Asia, or in Asia?

Africa is the cradle of mankind, which was first put forward by Darwin. He made bold speculation in the book "The Origin and Sexual Selection of Human Beings" published by 187 1. Haig, another evolutionist, advocated that human beings originated in South Asia in the book History of Nature Creation published in 1863, and also drew a picture showing the ways in which various races migrated from the center of South Asia today. In addition, there are Central Asia, North Asia and Europe. Because human fossils are constantly unearthed in the cradle of mankind, it swings on all continents.

Europe, especially western Europe, was once considered as the birthplace of mankind. From 1823 to 1925, there are 1 16 individuals, including Heidelberg people in the ape-man stage. Neolithic human bones were found in more cases, with 236 cases. So, people open the map and see that Europe is full of ancient human sites. At that time, except for the Javanese ape-man, no ancient human sites were found anywhere in Asia and Africa. In addition, the earliest discovered ape fossils were also unearthed in Europe, that is, the forest ape fossils discovered in France in 1856. In addition, in the 1920s, "Birden" scam was raging (Birden was regarded as the earliest person by some scholars, and even called him "Shu Ren". Finally, it was revealed that the so-called "Schumann" was originally intended to make up a fake of a Neolithic human skull and a modern ape's mandible, so many people thought that the center of human origin was in Western Europe. However, with the discovery of more human fossils in Asia and Africa, the theory of Europe, the cradle of mankind, gradually withdrew from the stage.

The discovery of "Beijingers" not only saved the Javanese Homo erectus, but also made the origin theory of Central Asia more popular.

1887, the Dutch anatomist Dubois, who was eager to find the remains of early human fossils, came to Java Island and found the fossils of primitive people. 1890, in a place called Trenier, mandibular fragments were first discovered, and a skull was discovered the following year, which is the famous "Javanese" No.1 skull. 1892, another femur was found not far away. After studying these materials, Dubois thinks that they belong to the same individual, which is the "missing link" between man and ape that people are looking for.

The discovery of Homo erectus in Java made South Asia say it was an elevator. However, Dubois's discovery was opposed by many people, and the strongest opposition came from the church. The church insists that the ancestor of human beings should be Adam. How can it be an ape?

19 1 1 In his book Climate and Evolution, paleontologist Matthew listed various reasons to claim that the Central Asian Plateau is the cradle of mankind. The reasons are as follows: First, the natural environment in Central Asia has become unsuitable for survival because of the rise of the Himalayas, but for animal evolution, the response generated by stimulation is the most beneficial, so these external stimuli can promote the formation of human beings; Secondly, the migration law of mammals is often that the least progressive type is excluded from the dispersion center, while the most powerful type stays near the birthplace and continues to develop, so the most primitive humans can be found in areas far from home. Early human fossils discovered at that time, such as Heidelberg and Java Homo erectus, fit this hypothesis.

1927, the fossil of "Peking Man" was discovered in China, and then the tools made and used by "Peking Man" and the remains of fire were discovered one after another. This great discovery not only saved Homo erectus in Java, but also made the theory of the origin of Central Asia more popular.

1930, American paleontologist Lewis found a fragment of the maxilla in Mount Keshan, Seevali, on the India-Pakistan border. The specimen is close to human characteristics in morphology, so he borrowed the name of an Indian god "Rama" and named it "Rama Ape". But this view was not recognized, because at that time, others were downplaying it. In 1960s, when paleontologists Pierbim and Simmons made a comprehensive study of more than 50 species belonging to 26 genera of forest apes, they noticed the anthropomorphic characteristics of Rama ape, and thought that it might be the ancestor type of this branch of human beings, and transferred it from the family of Apes to the family of Anthropology, and the theory of human origin in South Asia rose again. However, with the emergence of a large number of early human fossils and cultural relics in Africa, the theory that human beings originated in Africa has resurfaced.

When Darwin speculated that humans originated in Africa, there was little fossil evidence at that time. This situation changed in the 1920s. Near Kimberley, a diamond-rich town in South Africa, there is a place called Tarn. There are many quarries here, and mammalian fossils are often found in the process of quarrying. 1924, a young ape skull was found. After the research of anatomy professor Dart, he thought that its human form was between human and ape, so he named it "australopithecus africanus". 1936, an adult Australopithecus Australopithecus was found in Fontaine quarry in stech, Transvaal region. The following year, complete fragments of Australopithecus mandible and skull were found in Trey quarry in krom. Australopithecus has gradually attracted the recognition and attention of academic circles. But whether it is "the closest ape" or "the closest ape to man" is still controversial in academic circles. The key to solving the dispute is whether Australopithecus can make tools. Although stone tools have been found in caves and cracks where Australopithecus fossils were found, there are also advanced human fossils, so it is difficult to reach an agreement whether Australopithecus is the maker of tools. In addition, because the unearthed horizon of Australopithecus fossils is unclear, the exact age of Australopithecus remains unclear for the time being.

While people are wandering around, the discovery of East African fossils provides a new opportunity to solve these problems. From 193 1, British archaeologist Louis Leakey excavated a branch of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa and found many very primitive stone tools. They are only composed of river pebbles or gravels, dating back to the early Pleistocene. Who owns these tools? Li Ji and his wife searched here for more than 20 years, and finally found an Australopithecus skull in July of 1959. It is stronger than Australopithecus in South Africa. Its scientific name is "Bowman Australopithecus" and it is generally called "East Africa". Through various physical and chemical dating methods, his life age is 654.38+0.7 million years ago.

According to the existing fossil materials, the birthplace of mankind is likely to be in Africa, especially East Africa.

The discovery of "East Africans" and "Homo habilis" not only opened the prelude to a series of important discoveries in East Africa, but also transformed Australopithecus, as the representative of "missing annual rings", from "the closest ape to human beings" to "the closest ape to human beings" or "the pioneer of human beings". Based on this, a group of scholars represented by Li Ji and his wife believe that human beings originated in Africa.

Since 1970s, great progress has been made in the discovery and research of paleoanthropology in the world. First, a large number of Australopithecus fossils were found in the Pakistanis' Portwa Plateau. Later, a large number of Australopithecus fossils were also found in Hungarian, Turkish, Greek, Kenyan and China. Although the names are different, they can basically be divided into two types: the big one belongs to Shiva ape type and the small one belongs to Rama ape type, and the two often coexist. Through the comparative study of experts, it is found that they are not different species, but male and female individuals. Since Rama ape is not an independent species, how can there be a saying of human ancestors? The immediate ancestors of human beings were once clear because of "Rama ape", but now they are confused.

But the rapid development of science and technology has opened up a new way for people to understand the mystery of their own origin. The development of molecular biology, especially molecular anthropology, not only shows the close blood relationship between humans and other primates, especially apes, but also can calculate the approximate time span of their differentiation according to the variability of genetic material. Originally, it was thought that humans separated from apes about 20-25 million years ago, but it was only 4-5 million years ago by molecular biology!

In view of this, a new concept of human evolution has emerged, which also determines that the exploration of the birthplace of human beings can no longer be based on the old theory. Due to the appearance of a large number of Australopithecus and early hominid fossils in Africa, the complex picture of early human beings finally began to appear clearly in front of people.

In the 70 years since the first juvenile Australopithecus skull was discovered in 1924, the earliest human fossils have been found in more than 20 places in Africa. 1974, a multinational expedition led by American paleoanthropologist Johnson discovered an Australopithecus afarensis skeleton in Afa, Ethiopia, and preserved 40% of the remains. It lived for more than 3 million years and was later named "Australopithecus afarensis". 13 skeletons of Australopithecus afarensis were also found in Afa area, which provided evidence of early human gregarious, so some people called it the "first family" of human beings.

In the 1990s, great discoveries of ancient human fossils in Africa continued. 1992, Australopithecus fossils dating back 4.4 million years were found in aramis. It was originally named "Ancestor Australopithecus", and after further excavation and research, it was renamed "Ancestor Land Ape". 1996, an expedition composed of more than 40 scientists from 13 countries discovered Australopithecus fossils dating back 2.5 million years in Avash, central Afa basin. Because it has the characteristics close to humans and many different types of Australopithecus, it is considered to be the representative of a new species connecting Australopithecus afarensis and early hominids, and is named "magical Australopithecus". Australopithecus afarensis, Australopithecus bowman, "homo habilis" and skull fossils once called "Man 1470" were found in Kubifula, east bank of Lake Turkana, Kenya. The latter was finally named "Mrs. Ludal", which was 654.38+0.9 million years ago and was considered as the earliest member of the genus. On the west bank of the lake, 1985, a 2.5-million-year-old skull was found, named "Australopithecus ethiopia", and he was the ancestor of robust Australopithecus. /kloc-the primitive Australopithecus fossil found in Carnabo, west coast in 0/995 was named "Lakeside Australopithecus" 465438+ ten thousand years ago. It is worth noting that their lower limb bones show the characteristics of walking upright, while their upper limb bones still retain the characteristics of climbing upwards. This shows that it may be correct to predict that humans and apes parted ways 5 million years ago with molecular biology. According to the existing fossil materials, the birthplace of mankind is likely to be in Africa, especially East Africa.

About 2 million to 6.5438+0.8 million years ago, African "capable people" and even "craftsmen" went out of Africa and entered the Eurasian continent.

Heidelberg people discovered as early as 1907 were once considered as European apes or the type of transition to Neanderthals. During the period of 1994- 1996, more than 80 human fossils were found in Atapuka, northern Spain. The paleomagnetic dating was more than 780,000 years ago, and they were considered as the ancestors of Heidelberg people. In the previous September of 199 1 year, a mandible with complete dentition was found in a place called de Magnisi on the southeast border of Georgia, with the form of homo erectus. Later, a relatively complete skull fossil was discovered. According to paleomagnetic dating, it was 6.5438+800,000 years ago. Therefore, Demagny people are considered to be one of the oldest homo erectus fossils found outside Africa and the earliest hominid fossils in Europe.

Nepali-type ancient human fossils unearthed in Israel are also famous, and recently they have attracted attention with their early stone products. Israel has a Jordan Valley, which is the northern extension of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa.

1959, the paleolithic site of Ubertia was discovered here. A large number of mammalian fossils and stone tools were unearthed from Pliocene to early Pleistocene strata in this area. According to the paleomagnetic method, the age is about 6.5438+0.5 million years to 6.5438+0 million years ago. Some scholars believe that this site is one of the earliest Homo erectus cultural sites outside Africa, and its owner may be an early Homo erectus who just evolved from "homo habilis".

Over the past half century, China has also discovered a large number of fossil materials about human evolution. Since the discovery of apes in Kaiyuan, Yunnan Province in 1950s, apes have been found in Lufeng and Yuanmou in 1970s and 1980s, which can be divided into two types. Some scholars believe that large apes can be described as Shiva apes, while small apes belong to Rama apes. The idea that Lamar ape was the distant ancestor of human beings was all the rage in China at that time, so some scholars thought that the distant ancestor of human beings had been found in China, so they named the little ape "China Ape" to express the good wish that human beings originated in China. However, with the change of the scientific community's understanding of the attributes of Lama apes, some scholars in China have classified the ancient apes from different regions of Yunnan into a new genus, namely Lufeng apes. However, some scholars believe that they are only different subspecies of Siwa apes in Yunnan.

In the 1960s, Homo erectus Lantian and Yuanmou were discovered in Gongzhuling, Lantian County, Shaanxi Province and Danawu, Yuanmou County, Yunnan Province. They are more than 6,543.8+0,000 years ago, and the latter even reached 6,543.8+0.7 million years ago. They are the earliest known human fossils in China. Unfortunately, Yuanmou man's fossils are currently limited to two upper central incisors and a late tibia, while fossils of roughly the same age found in Africa have complete bones. Although some people once regarded several tooth fossils found in Jianshi, Hubei Province as materials close to Australopithecus, they were not recognized by academic circles because of too few materials.

1989, two ancient human skull fossils were found in Yunxian County, Hubei Province. At first, they were classified as Australopithecus, and after restoration, they were found to be Homo erectus. Homo erectus skull fossils were also found in Hexian County, Anhui Province 1980 and Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 1993. Although there are different opinions about their ages, they are all less than 500 thousand years old.

Since 1985, a number of early Pleistocene mammalian fossils have been unearthed in Longgupo, Wushan County, Sichuan Province, including 1 humanoid incisor and a mandibular fragment. At the same time, it is claimed that stone products with artificial traces have been unearthed. At first, they were identified as Homo erectus by some scholars. Later, foreign scholars intervened and thought that they were quite different from Homo erectus, but similar to "homo habilis" and "craftsmen" in Africa, and further traced them back to 6.5438+0.8 million years ago, or even more than 2 million years ago.

In the 1990s, a large number of early hominid fossils were unearthed in Africa, which constituted a fairly complete evolutionary system, which was incomparable with those unearthed in Asia. Comparatively speaking, Africa seems to be more qualified to be the birthplace of mankind. The study of paleoanthropology also shows that homo habilis/Mrs. Ludal has a big body and a heavy brain, so she has strong physical fitness and high intelligence. She not only makes tools, but also has close group relations. The change of Pliocene paleoclimate caused the change of ecological environment and the migration of mammals, which led to the migration of ancient human groups. These research results merged into the hypothesis of "going out of Africa" in the late 1990s. Some scholars have suggested that from about 2 million years ago to about 6.5438+0.8 million years ago, African "capable people" and even "craftsmen" went out of Africa and entered the Eurasian continent. Ubertia in Israel, De Magnisi in Georgia, Mount Bibo in Pakistan and the "Wushan Man" site in China are all considered as the remains of early human migration. Later, homo habilis/Madame Ludal in Africa evolved into a craftsman, while Homo erectus in Asia evolved. Some people also imagined another process, that is, early African humans first migrated to Asia, evolved into Homo erectus, and then returned to Africa and moved to Europe. But "going out of Africa" has another meaning, that is, modern Homo sapiens also migrated from Africa to all continents, about 65,438+10,000 years ago, which is the so-called "Eve Theory".

It's important to find human fossils earlier than 2 million years ago, but it's more urgent to make China ancient people stand firm before1.5-2 million years ago.

In the 1980s, some scholars in China thought that the ancient apes found in Baozidonggou, Xiaohe area of Yuanmou Basin, accompanied by stone tools. If you can make stone tools, aren't you human? Therefore, it was named "the East" and its age of existence was set at 2.5 million years ago. Butterfly Liangzi found a young skull in the same area, which was identified as Lamar ape type and considered as the ancestor of human beings. Later, it was claimed that "stone tools" were also found in the stratum, and it was renamed "Butterfly Man". Its survival time was set at more than 4 million years ago, and then it was "Kaiyuan Lamar Ape"-"Lufeng Lamar Ape"-"Butterfly Lamar Ape" (or in view of this, some people suggested that the central Yunnan Plateau and its adjacent areas were the key areas of human origin. Regrettably, as early as the end of 1970s, the academic community had given up the view that Rama apes were the distant ancestors of human beings. After textual research, the "stone tools" of the so-called "butterfly man" turned out to be natural stones; The stone tools of "Oriental" were later proved to be picked from the surface, which was very late.

From 65438 to 0997, China started the "Climbing Project" to search for human beings in 2 million years and earlier, and invested a lot of efforts, but so far it has achieved little. Later, stone products and bone implements from 2 million to 2.4 million years ago were found in Fanchang, Anhui Province, which were found in the early Pleistocene fissure accumulation. But whether it is man-made has caused great controversy in academic circles. In addition, it is not enough to have stone tools, but only indirect evidence. The key is to find human fossils.

1999, a 3 million-year-old stone tool was found in Pliocene strata in Yuxian County, Hebei Province, far exceeding the limit of 2.6 million years found in Africa, which is considered as a challenge to the theory of human African origin. However, this specimen was found in 1990, and it was not released until 9 years later, which is puzzling.

If China scholars want to challenge the African origin theory, they must find more early human fossils. It's of course important to find human fossils earlier than 2 million years ago, but it's more urgent to make China ancient people stand firm before1.5-2 million years ago. Even the earliest Yuanmou fossil in China is considered by some scholars at home and abroad to be only 600,000 years old! We must find earlier human fossils, which can establish a relatively complete system, so that African materials can be subordinate to this system. The ancient environmental conditions in China are not too bad. Due to the discovery of abundant Miocene and Pliocene ape fossils, such a living environment is also suitable for early human survival. We don't completely rule out the possibility that human beings originated in Asia, but imagination and sprint alone are not enough. Persuasive fossil materials are the most scientific.