~300,000 years agoReputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
The Origin of Homo sapiens
On the timeline · around ~300,000 years ago · The Human Era
What happened
Our own species, Homo sapiens, arose in Africa at least 300,000 years ago. Fossils from Jebel Irhoud in Morocco — showing modern-looking faces alongside more archaic braincases — are the oldest known members of our species, suggesting we evolved across a wide area of the continent.
Why it matters
The emergence of Homo sapiens is the arrival of modern humanity — the species that would spread across the globe and reshape the planet.