The Evolutionary Background of Humankind:
Around 2.5 million years ago, species belonging to the genus Homo (humans) began to appear in East Africa. Homo Sapiens, our species, was just one among many human species that existed, such as Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthals), Homo erectus, Homo denisova, and others.
Harari describes early Homo Sapiens as an “insignificant” animal in the ecosystem, without any outstanding advantages over other species like lions or elephants. They were not the fastest, strongest, or most numerous species.
Biological Characteristics of Early Homo Sapiens:
Homo Sapiens appeared around 300,000 years ago in Africa. They had larger brains compared to other animals, but this did not immediately grant them a dominant edge.
Physical traits such as bipedalism (standing and walking on two legs) and the ability to use hands for manipulating tools already existed in earlier Homo species. Even so, Homo Sapiens had yet to stand out in the ecosystem.
Position in the Ecosystem:
For millions of years, human species, including Homo Sapiens, lived as hunter-gatherers, relying on nature for survival. They hunted small animals, foraged for plants, and moved frequently in search of food.
Harari emphasizes that Homo Sapiens were not the center of the ecosystem. They were just one species among millions, influenced by environmental factors like climate, natural disasters, and competition with other species.
Initial Environmental Impact:
Although their influence wasn’t as substantial as it would be later, Homo Sapiens began affecting the environment quite early. As they migrated out of Africa (around 70,000–100,000 years ago), they contributed to the extinction of some large animals (megafauna) in regions like Australia and the Americas through hunting and competition for resources.
Harari calls this the first sign of Homo Sapiens’ ability to alter ecosystems—even though at the time, they were still just an ordinary species in the food chain.
Latent Differences:
Even though Homo Sapiens did not initially stand out, Harari suggests they possessed a unique potential: the capacity for complex cognition and communication. These abilities, explored in more detail in later chapters, form the foundation of their eventual dominance.
At this stage, Homo Sapiens had not yet realized their full potential, but their early biological and social traits laid the groundwork for the major breakthroughs to come.