Ancestors of Modern Humans Faced Near-Extinction Event 900,000 Years Ago, Study Reveals

Utilizing a novel methodology involving modern genetic data, researchers propose that this critical period saw the survival of pre-human individuals in a remarkably small population of just 1,280.

A recent study published in the journal Science¹ has unveiled a remarkable and startling chapter in the history of human evolution. The research, led by population geneticist Haipeng Li from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, sheds light on a critical period around 900,000 years ago when our ancient human ancestors in Africa teeter…