Modern human origins: progress and prospects

2002/04/29 by Chris Stringer · 15 citations
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology #Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies #Forensic and Genetic Research

paper · doi:10.1098/rstb.2001.1057

openalex publication_date 2002/04/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15

Abstract

The question of the mode of origin of modern humans (Homo sapiens) has dominated palaeoanthropological debate over the last decade. This review discusses the main models proposed to explain modern human origins, and examines relevant fossil evidence from Eurasia, Africa and Australasia. Archaeological and genetic data are also discussed, as well as problems with the concept of 'modernity' itself. It is concluded that a recent African origin can be supported for H. sapiens, morphologically, behaviourally and genetically, but that more evidence will be needed, both from Africa and elsewhere, before an absolute African origin for our species and its behavioural characteristics can be established and explained.

Citations

• Modern Human Origins—Distinguishing the Models
• The revolution that wasn't: a new interpretation of the origin of modern human behavior
• The Multiregional Evolution of Humans
• Neanderthal Acculturation in Western Europe? A Critical Review of the Evidence and Its Interpretation
• An Australasian test of the recent African origin theory using the WLH-50 calvarium
• Recent human evolution in East Asia and Australasia
• Mitochondrial DNA and human evolution
• Demography and Cultural Innovation: a Model and its Implications for the Emergence of Modern Human Culture
• Mode 3 Technologies and the Evolution of Modern Humans

Cited by

• Use of Y Chromosome and Mitochondrial DNA Population Structure in Tracing Human Migrations
• Revealing the prehistoric settlement of Australia by Y chromosome and mtDNA analysis
• Y chromosome diversity, human expansion, drift, and cultural evolution
• Improved Calibration of the Human Mitochondrial Clock Using Ancient Genomes
• APOE Genotype Effects on Alzheimer's Disease Onset and Epidemiology
• Why we are not all multiregionalists now
• Brain size and encephalization in early to Mid‐Pleistocene Homo
• Natural history ofHomo erectus
• Out of Ethiopia
• The age of Homo naledi and associated sediments in the Rising Star Cave, South Africa
• Homo naledi and Pleistocene hominin evolution in subequatorial Africa
• Archeology and the dispersal of modern humans in Europe: Deconstructing the “Aurignacian”
• Hunters of the Ice Age: The biology of Upper Paleolithic people
• Genome-wide data substantiate Holocene gene flow from India to Australia
• Recent African origin of modern humans [wikipedia]