Homo erectus

Homo erectus (/ˌhoʊmoʊ əˈrɛktəs/ lit. 'upright man') is an extinct species of archaic human from the Pleistocene, spanning nearly 2 million years. It is the first human species to evolve a humanlike body plan and gait, to leave Africa and colonize Asia and Europe, and to wield fire. H. erectus is the ancestor of later human species, including H. heidelbergensis — the last common ancestor of modern humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans. As such a widely distributed species both geographically and temporally, H. erectus anatomy varies considerably. Subspecies are sometimes recognized: H. e. erectus, H. e. pekinensis, H. e. soloensis, H. e. ergaster, H. e. georgicus, and H. e. tautavelensis.

The species was first described by Eugène Dubois in 1893 as "Pithecanthropus erectus" using a skullcap, molar, and femur from Java, Indonesia. Further discoveries around East Asia were used to contend that humanity evolved out of Asia. Based on historical race concepts, it was argued that local H. erectus populations evolved directly into local modern human populations (polycentricism) rather than all humanity sharing a single anatomically modern ancestor (monogenism). As the fossil record improved over the mid-to-late 20th century, "Out of Africa" theory and monogenism became the consensus.

The typical skull has a pronounced brow ridge, a protruding jaw, and large teeth. The bones are much thicker than in modern humans. East Asian H. erectus normally has an even more robust skeleton and larger brain volume — averaging 1,000 cc (61 cu in), within the range of variation for modern humans. Western H. erectus brain volume could be as low as 546 cc (33.3 cu in) in H. e. georgicus. H. erectus probably had a faster apelike growth trajectory, lacking the extended childhood required for language acquisition. Reconstructed adult body dimensions range from 148–167 cm (4 ft 10 in – 5 ft 6 in) in height and about 50 kg (110 lb) in weight.

H. erectus invented the Acheulean tool industry, a major innovation of large, heavy-duty stone tools. These may have been used in butchery, vegetable processing, and woodworking of spears and digging sticks. H. erectus was a major predator of large herbivores on the expanding savannas during the Quaternary glaciation. The species is usually characterized as the first hunter-gatherer and the first to practice sexual division of labor. Fire usage and cave habitation were probably not important aspects of daily life. Similarly, H. erectus may not have often ventured into colder regions or cooked meat. The last occurrence of H. erectus is 108,000 to 117,000 years ago (H. e. soloensis) in Southeast Asia, until the last savannas in the region gave way to jungle.