We're Just One Of Several Different Human Species

Don't be so vain, we're not even the first humans to walk on Earth. Though the exact number is debated, some scientists believe as many as six human species have existed. Our family is bigger than we thought!

Related: "Monkey To Man" Isn't What Evolution Looks Like

We're Pretty Old

Homo sapiens have been on this Earth for about 200,000 years. But the first human species arrived after splitting from the apes about 2.8 million years ago. After that, there were several humans that predated modern humans, or the species known as Homo sapiens sapiens. Homo signifies the human genus, and the Homo sapiens sapiens (the subspecies of Homo sapiens under which the modern human falls) is the last remaining species of the genus. That is to say, we're the only humans left.

Related: How Have Humans Evolved?

How Many Of Us Are There?!

Though the exact number is disputed, it is believed that there have been as many as six human species. Before the Homo sapiens, there were Homo habilis, Homo rudolfensis, Homo erectus, and Homo heidelbergensis. Homo sapiens were contemporaries with Homo neanderthalensis and Homo floresiensis. We've collected some great videos that dive a lot deeper into this mind-bending topic.

Written by Curiosity Staff July 13, 2016
