Recent genetic research documents a severe human population bottleneck approximately 900,000 years ago — ancient humanity was nearly wiped out when the global population dwindled to around 1,280 reproducing individuals for a period of roughly 120,000 years. Researchers estimate ancestral population loss of up to 98.7%, drastically reducing genetic diversity in modern populations. The exact causes remain uncertain, though climate shifts are suspected. The research was published in Science and represents one of the strongest genetic cases for a near-extinction event in human prehistory, though some researchers note the findings are not definitive.
Human population bottleneck 20-15,000 years ago aligns with pyramid civilization collapse
Key facts
- Global population decrease between 20,000-15,000 years ago identified by 1000 Genomes Project
- All populations outside Africa experienced severe reduction
- Bottleneck occurred after Last Glacial Maximum humid phase
- Coincided with 4,000-year drought in Northern Hemisphere
- Unprecedented super drought caused loss of food and water resources
- Population shifts in Europe and East Asia occurred 19-14,000 years ago
- New populations replaced previous inhabitants after glacial period
Sources
Population bottleneck - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
"Humanity's Ancestors Nearly Died Out, Genetic Study Suggests - The population crashed following climate change about 930,000 years ago, scientists concluded.
Study Reveals How Ancient Humans Escaped Climate Extinction ...sciencealert.com
A close reading of the human genome found that a population bottleneck caused a loss of genetic diversity some 900,000 years ago. A second study ...
Human ancestors may have almost died out after ancient population ...nhm.ac.uk
Humans may have been driven to the brink of extinction within the past million years, new research suggests.
Human Ancestors Nearly Went Extinct 900,000 Years Agoscientificamerican.com
Human ancestors in Africa were pushed to the brink of extinction around 900,000 years ago, a study shows. The work, published in Science, ...
Did Humans Nearly Go Extinct 900,000 Years Ago? A Biologist ...forbes.com
The most honest answer is: possibly, but we don't know for sure. The 2023 Science study presents one of the strongest genetic cases ever made ...
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