“Out of Africa” exodus earlier than thought 

Advances in DNA analysis challenge the traditional “Out of Africa” model that modern humans evolved in Africa and then dispersed across Asia in a single wave about 60,000 years ago

Neanderthals          Denisovans (hominids found in Siberia)
Early Homo sapiens    Asian archaic Homo sapiens
Dispersals   120-60 (000 years ago)   <60-30 (000 years ago) 

32
55 
45
40
>38 
40
70
65
45
⁓38
43
44-41
45-40

100-75
120-90
120-70
200
300

Millions of years ago
7  6  5  4  3  2  1
MIOCENE PLIOCENE PLEISTOCENE
Hominid ancestors

Early bipedal hominids
Ardipithecus ramidus (above)
Australopithecus  afarensis
Homo habilis
Homo erectus
Neanderthals 
Homo  sapiens

Sources: Science, Max Planck Institute Picture: Tiia Monto
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