There is a 130,000-year gap in human evolutionary history; what happened during this period?

The period of 130,000 years in human evolutionary history is considered a fossil gap, and no one can accurately explain what happened to humans during this time.

What is a Fossil Gap?

First, we need to understand what fossils are. Fossils are the remnants of living organisms or their activities preserved over geological time, serving as important evidence for our understanding of the past.

Through the study of fossils, we can infer information about the shape, structure, function, habits, distribution, evolution, and extinction of organisms, thus reconstructing the history of life on Earth.

A fossil gap means that no fossil traces have been found during a certain period, similar to a blank space in history.

This situation may be due to an unfavorable environment for biological preservation at the time, geological processes that later destroyed the original fossil layers, or the fact that we have not yet found suitable locations and methods to excavate and identify fossils.

Fossils are remnants of living organisms preserved over geological time. (Illustration: CNN)

Why is There a 130,000-Year Fossil Gap?

So why is there a 130,000-year gap in human evolutionary history? What exactly happened during this period?

According to scientists’ estimates, humans first emerged around 5 million years ago, while modern humans originated approximately 300,000 years ago. Throughout this long process, humans branched out and evolved multiple times, forming different species and groups.

However, from 200,000 years ago to 70,000 years ago, a strange phenomenon occurred in human evolutionary history, during which almost no fossil records related to humans have been found.

It seems that humans disappeared during this time without leaving any traces, which has puzzled scientists. Accordingly, scientists have proposed several explanations and plausible hypotheses, but none have been conclusively confirmed.

Humans first appeared about 5 million years ago. (Illustration: CNN)

Hypothesis 1: Global Mass Extinction

Some scientists believe that a catastrophic mass extinction event occurred on Earth around 200,000 to 70,000 years ago, leading to the death and extinction of a large number of organisms, including humans at that time.

This extinction event could have been caused by climate change, volcanic eruptions, asteroid impacts, etc. It caused significant environmental changes on Earth, many organisms could not adapt and either died or migrated.

At that time, the human population was very small, and their distribution was very limited, making it difficult to withstand such a disaster. Their living space was significantly reduced, and their culture and technology were also severely impacted.

As a result, they left little to no fossil traces, which later humans did not discover. Only a few survivors could continue to reproduce and open a new chapter in human evolution.

A mass extinction event led to a decline in human population. (Illustration: ZME).

Hypothesis 2: Alien Intervention

Some scientists believe that between 200,000 and 70,000 years ago, an advanced extraterrestrial civilization appeared on Earth and conducted various forms of intervention and experimentation on humans.

This type of advanced civilization may have wanted to observe and study life on Earth, transform and utilize Earth’s resources, or for other purposes.

They may have used their advanced technology to implement forms of control, isolation, transfer, transformation, etc., on humans, causing humans to lose their freedom and independence during this period.

As a result, humans could not live and develop normally, nor could they leave any fossil traces that later humans could discover. Only after they left or gave up could humans return to their original state and continue to evolve.

An extraterrestrial civilization conducted various forms of intervention and experimentation on humans. (Illustration: Zhihu).

Hypothesis 3: Global Flood

Some scientists believe that a global flood occurred on Earth around 200,000 to 70,000 years ago, submerging much of the land and leaving only a few elevated areas where humans survived.

This flooding event could have been caused by glacial melt, rising sea levels, plate movement, the gravitational pull of the Moon, and other factors. It significantly increased the water area on Earth, and many terrestrial organisms could not adapt and either died or migrated.

At that time, humans had no means to survive on land and had no choice but to coexist with the flood. They may have used some simple tools and technologies to build underwater shelters and infrastructure, seeking food and resources in the water.

As a result, they would have left little to no fossil traces that could be discovered later. Furthermore, living underwater may have accelerated evolution, causing our ancestors to gradually adapt to aquatic environments and undergo some changes.

For instance, they might have lost body hair, increased skin fat layers, improved respiratory and circulatory systems, etc. These changes may have laid the foundation for the subsequent evolution of Homo sapiens.

A water-filled cave. (Illustration: ZME).

Where Did Humans Come From?

From 200,000 years ago to 70,000 years ago, there is a 130,000-year gap in human evolutionary history – their fossil records are lost or difficult to find. This does not mean that humans disappeared during this period, but rather that they underwent many changes.

So how did humans recover and evolve after this period? How did they evolve into modern humans?

According to scientists’ research, a significant event occurred on Earth about 70,000 years ago, namely the eruption of Mount Toba. This was a massive volcanic eruption that released a large amount of ash and gas into the atmosphere, causing global cooling and drought.

This volcanic eruption had a profound impact on life on Earth; many organisms died or became extinct, leaving only a few organisms capable of strong adaptation alive. At that time, humans were also severely affected, with numbers drastically reduced, possibly down to just a few thousand or even hundreds of individuals.

This is the famous “bottleneck event” in human evolutionary history, significantly reducing human genetic diversity and setting the genetic foundation for subsequent human evolution.

The eruption of Mount Toba caused global cooling and drought. (Illustration: CNN).

After this disaster, the survivors began a new life and migration. They gradually dispersed into different regions and environments, interacting and communicating with other species and cultures, and forming different ethnic and racial groups.

Some of these people migrated to Europe and West Asia, where they mixed and interbred with the Neanderthals and Denisovans that existed there. Another group migrated to East Asia and Australia, where they mingled and interbred with the Indigenous Australians and local Melanesians. Some also migrated to southern and eastern Africa, where they mixed and interbred with the Indigenous African populations that existed there, thus acquiring new genes and traits.

Humans in these various regions and environments gradually formed the ancestors of modern humans in a long evolutionary process we call Homo sapiens.

Homo sapiens possess higher intelligence, more complex language, more flexible behavior, richer culture, and other characteristics. They continue to thrive and develop in their respective regions, gradually replacing other primitive human species.

Finally, around 12,000 years ago, Homo sapiens became the only surviving species on Earth and began to create a magnificent civilization that continues to the present day.