The first human-like creatures lived in Africa, probably more than six million years ago. They were descended from prehistoric apes. Unlike apes, they learned to walked upright on two legs. Later kinds of human evolved and spread to all parts of the world. Modern humans, called Homo sapiens, evolved about 300,000 years ago.

Travellers

About 2 million years ago, taller, more intelligent humans evolved. They looked a little less ape-like. They learned to hunt larger animals with better, sharper weapons. They may have been the first kinds of human to use fire to cook food. These humans, called Homo erectus, travelled out of Africa to Asia. They went around in small groups, and lived off the wild animals they hunted and the plant food they gathered.

Neanderthal humans evolved about 400,000 years ago. They are named after the valley in Germany where their bones were first discovered. Short and stocky, Neanderthals had low foreheads and thick ridges above their eyes. Otherwise, they looked quite like us. Neanderthals hunted and fished, cooked their food over fires, built shelters and buried their dead. They lived in Europe until about 40,000 years ago.

Modern humans

Modern humans, called Homo sapiens (which means “wise man”), evolved in Africa about 300,000 years ago. These were people who looked almost exactly like us. Over many years, modern humans spread out across the globe. They travelled to Asia, Europe, Australia and eventually reached the Americas. Homo sapiens lived in Europe at the same time as the Neanderthals for tens of thousands of years. Unlike the Neanderthals, they were able to survive into the present day.