Marching Away From the ‘March of Progress’

New discoveries are demolishing one of science’s most iconic images: that of man evolving from a knuckle-dragging ape through progressively upright stages to become a trim, spear-carrying hunter. Scientists have long complained that this image is misleading, but recent developments paint a completely different picture of our backstory -- one that, unfortunately, doesn’t lend itself well to novelty T-shirts.

Scientists are finding that different aspects of human physiology and behavior emerged in different groups living in different parts of Africa over the last 2 million years. Until the last 40,000 years or so, the world accommodated multiple versions of humanity at the same time. Some met. Some mingled.