when were humans first on earth

Humans in the modern sense (Homo sapiens) first appeared on Earth roughly 300,000 years ago in Africa, according to current fossil and genetic evidence.

Quick Scoop: Key Dates

• Earliest human-like ancestors (hominins): more than 6–7 million years ago in Africa.

• Early Homo species (like Homo erectus): around 2 million years ago; some of the first to walk fully upright and leave Africa.

• Anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens): about 300,000 years ago in Africa.

• Humans moving beyond Africa in large numbers: from about 60,000–70,000 years ago.

• Arrival in major regions (approximate):
  • Australia: within the last 60,000 years.

* Europe (modern humans): over 40,000 years ago, with some fossils suggesting earlier presence.

* Americas: within roughly the last 30,000 years or so, with the main waves much later.

So, if you’re asking “when were humans first on Earth?” in the everyday sense of people like us, the best current answer is: around 300,000 years ago , with a much deeper evolutionary story stretching back millions of years.