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Humanity

For everyone

The centre of the tree. Religions, current science and other traditions answer the question of where humans came from and when they appeared in different ways, so no single date is given here; the views are shown side by side with their sources. The branches above are fields that investigate the world; the roots below are traditions of thought and belief.

For specialists

In palaeoanthropology the origin of Homo sapiens is studied through the fossil record (Jebel Irhoud, Omo Kibish), archaeological context and genome-based estimates of population divergence. Single-region (East African) models have largely given way to "pan-African" or structured-population models. In the Abrahamic traditions human origins are explained by the direct creation of Adam and Eve. The scriptures themselves give no year; dates are derived from later genealogical calculations. In the Hindu tradition time is cyclical (yugas, kalpas).

Views on dating

No single date is given because the date is not documented with certainty; the views of different sources are listed.

Palaeoanthropology (fossil dating)The oldest fossils attributed to Homo sapiens were found at Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, and dated by thermoluminescence to about 300,000 years ago.[1][2]
Palaeoanthropology (East Africa)The Omo I fossil from Ethiopia is at least about 233,000 years old, based on the volcanic ash layer above it.[3]
Population geneticsEstimates based on ancient genomes from southern Africa place the divergence of modern human populations at 350,000–260,000 years ago.[4]
Islam (Qur'an)The Qur'an recounts that Adam was created from clay and made a vicegerent on earth; it gives no date.[6][7]
Judaism and Christianity (Genesis)The Book of Genesis recounts the creation of Adam and Eve and gives no year. Calculations from its genealogies give different results. James Ussher (1650) arrived at 4004 BCE; the traditional Hebrew calendar counts from 3761 BCE.[8][9][10]
Hinduism (Puranas)Time is cyclical. The universe and humanity pass through yuga ages, each lasting hundreds of thousands to millions of years, within larger kalpa cycles. There is no linear "starting date".[11]

Positions

Current mainstream biology and palaeoanthropology
Homo sapiens evolved from earlier hominin populations in Africa, with several African regions thought to have contributed to the process.[5][1]
Traditional reading of the Abrahamic religions
Humans were created directly by God, beginning with the first human, Adam.[6][8]
Differing views in contemporary Islamic thought
Positions range from creationism, through a view that exempts only Adam and Eve ("Adamic exceptionalism"), to theistic evolution.[12]

Connections

Sub-branches

First knowledgeMathematicsPhysicsEnergyTechnology and engineeringChemistryBiologyMedicineAstronomy and cosmologySpace explorationEarth sciencesComputing and artificial intelligencePsychology and mindParapsychologySociety, history and economicsLaw and politicsLinguisticsArt, music and aestheticsPhilosophyKalām (Islamic theology)Sufism (taṣawwuf)Religions and scripturesMythologyEsoteric traditions

Related

Views on the origin and diversity of living thingsCreation narrativesThe origin of language

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Sources

  1. ArticleHublin, J.-J. et al. (2017). New fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco and the pan-African origin of Homo sapiens. Nature 546, 289–292DOI 10.1038/nature22336archive
  2. ArticleRichter, D. et al. (2017). The age of the hominin fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, and the origins of the Middle Stone Age. Nature 546, 293–296DOI 10.1038/nature22335archive
  3. ArticleVidal, C. M. et al. (2022). Age of the oldest known Homo sapiens from eastern Africa. Nature 601, 579–583DOI 10.1038/s41586-021-04275-8archive
  4. ArticleSchlebusch, C. M. et al. (2017). Southern African ancient genomes estimate modern human divergence to 350,000 to 260,000 years ago. Science 358, 652–655DOI 10.1126/science.aao6266archive
  5. ArticleStringer, C. (2016). The origin and evolution of Homo sapiens. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 371, 20150237DOI 10.1098/rstb.2015.0237archive
  6. ScriptureKur'an-ı Kerim, Bakara 2:30–39quran.comarchive
  7. ScriptureKur'an-ı Kerim, Hicr 15:26–29quran.comarchive
  8. ScriptureTekvin / Genesis 1–2sefaria.orgarchive
  9. BookUssher, J. (1650). Annales Veteris Testamenti, a prima mundi origine deducti. London
  10. EncyclopediaJewish calendar. Encyclopaedia Britannicabritannica.comarchive
  11. EncyclopediaYuga. Encyclopaedia Britannicabritannica.comarchive
  12. BookMalik, S. A. (2021). Islam and Evolution: Al-Ghazālī and the Modern Evolutionary Paradigm. Routledge, London · ISBN 978-0367364137routledge.comarchive

Cite this page

APA

Athena contributors. (2026). Humanity. Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/insanlik/

BibTeX
@misc{athena_insanlik,
  title        = {Humanity},
  author       = {{Athena contributors}},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/insanlik/}},
  note         = {Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Accessed: 2026-11-01}
}

Added: September 27, 2026 · Last changed: September 27, 2026 · Page history

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