Context:

Around 70,000 years ago, humans in Africa began to thrive in more extreme environments, marking a significant shift in their adaptability and setting the stage for global migration. This adaptability allowed humans to expand into diverse habitats beyond the traditional savannas, including deserts and rainforests. The change was likely driven by climatic shifts that fragmented previously lush environments, compelling humans to develop versatile survival skills. As humans moved into these varied ecosystems, barriers between populations diminished, leading to increased interaction and cultural exchange. This expanded human niche laid the groundwork for the successful migration out of Africa around 50,000 years ago, as humans were equipped to adapt to new environments they encountered globally.

Dive Deeper:

• Approximately 70,000 years ago, humans in Africa began to thrive in more extreme environments, such as deserts and forests, which allowed for a significant expansion of their habitats. This marked a pivotal change in human adaptability and was crucial for their eventual global spread.

• Earlier, humans had primarily inhabited savannas and similar ecosystems, but climatic changes led to the fragmentation of these environments, pushing humans to adapt to areas they hadn't previously considered. This adaptability was not due to a single adaptation but a range of skills that allowed them to become highly versatile.

• Eleanor Scerri and her team from the Max Planck Institute studied hundreds of archaeological sites to reconstruct the human niche across Africa, revealing that early humans were more versatile than previously thought. They found that prior to this shift, human populations were isolated by natural barriers such as deserts and mountains.

• The climate change that occurred 70,000 years ago, characterized by a global cooling and reduced rainfall in Africa, forced humans to move into more challenging habitats. This movement facilitated greater interaction among previously isolated groups, enhancing social networks and the exchange of ideas.

• This newfound adaptability and interconnectedness among human populations likely contributed to the success of the migration out of Africa about 50,000 years ago. Humans were then capable of adapting to new and diverse environments across the globe, which they had not previously encountered in Africa.