00:00Let's embark on a wild thought experiment.
00:05What if we could magically travel to all our ancestors in chronological order?
00:10Could we talk to them and actually form some connection?
00:14And just how far back can we go while still connecting with them?
00:18Well, let's see.
00:22Primates were the funky cousins of other mammals.
00:26Around 85 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous period, they went their own way
00:31and became the first of their kind.
00:35Human evolution is very complicated, and we can't draw a distinctive line on where it
00:39started.
00:40But we're going to start with hominins.
00:44Hominins are a group of primates that include all the species leading up to Homo sapiens.
00:50So imagine you hopped in your super cool time machine and landed in the past, way back when
00:55hominins were chilling around.
00:57What would happen?
00:58First off, you'd spot these quirky creatures roaming around with their short hairy bodies,
01:04curious faces, and big eyes.
01:07They might look a bit different from you, but that's part of the fun.
01:12They were excellent climbers and incredibly curious about the outer world.
01:16They munched on fruits, nuts, and whatever they found in nature.
01:21And yes, surprisingly, humans aren't meat eaters by nature.
01:26Originally, we all were vegans.
01:29Of course, with them, you can forget about proper communication.
01:33But still, primates are incredibly smart.
01:37So a good old game of charades could do the trick.
01:40Mime your way into their hearts with friendly gestures, and they'll be thrilled to see a
01:44futuristic traveler like you.
01:47These hominins were curious beings, so they'd probably be very interested in you if you
01:52were friendly with them and gave them some food.
01:55Next, let's move on to Homo habilis and Homo erectus.
02:01Their period, the Stone Age, started about 2.6 million years ago.
02:08As you can guess, it was the time when we started using stone tools.
02:13The Stone Age lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended between 4,000 BCE and 2,000
02:21BCE.
02:22It ended with the beginning of metalworking.
02:25Homo habilis, or handyman, was like the MacGyvers of the Stone Age.
02:30These crafty creatures were the first to use stone tools.
02:35And Homo erectus was the upright man.
02:38They were a bit more recent.
02:40As their name suggests, they were the first to walk on two legs like us.
02:45They might have looked a bit different from modern humans, but still.
02:50So what were their lives like?
02:52Well, they still were true survivors.
02:55Homo erectus loved to explore and tinker with things.
03:00They made simple stone tools, like sharp rocks for cutting and scraping.
03:05They were basically the early inventors.
03:09Homo erectus was quite adventurous.
03:11They left Africa and traveled to far off lands, exploring new territories.
03:17They were the first ones to set foot in places like Asia and Europe.
03:22They lived in caves or simple shelters made of sticks and animal hides.
03:27And let's not forget their wild fashion sense.
03:30Animal skins and leaves were their trendy outfits.
03:35But don't think they just sat around all day.
03:38They were hunters and gatherers, seeking out delicious fruits, nuts, and even hunting animals.
03:45How would you communicate with them?
03:47Well, they used simple grunts, gestures, and body language to understand each other.
03:55So if you met Homo habilis and Homo erectus, you'd be in for a wild ride.
04:01You could show them some advanced technology to impress them and teach them some new cool
04:05tricks.
04:08Next on our list are Homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals.
04:13Homo heidelbergensis was like the cool older cousin of Neanderthals and us.
04:18They lived around 800,000 to 200,000 years ago.
04:23Picture them as sturdy and strong, with big brains compared to their earlier relatives.
04:29They were expert toolmakers and loved exploring new places.
04:34The Neanderthals lived in Europe and Asia from 400,000 to 40,000 years ago.
04:40Neanderthals were super smart, and they had awesome adaptations to cold weather.
04:46With their thick, strong bodies and big noses, they could handle chilly winters like champs.
04:52Both Homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals were skilled hunters and gatherers.
04:59They'd chase after mammoths and other big game with sharp spears they crafted themselves.
05:05But it wasn't all rough and tough.
05:07They knew how to have fun, too.
05:11Neanderthals made art and showed their emotions and connections with each other.
05:16With these folks, you could draw pictures in the dirt, dance around, and make gestures.
05:22They'd get the idea.
05:25And finally, we meet Homo sapiens.
05:29Picture this.
05:30You're waking up in a cave with your family, trying to keep warm by a flickering fire.
05:36The cave is pretty cozy, isn't it?
05:38But nope, no permanent homes here.
05:41You're part of a nomadic tribe, moving wherever the food is best.
05:45Hey, but at least you've got some nifty tools to survive.
05:50Grab your awesome handmade spear, crafted by watching others or maybe invented by your
05:55genius self.
05:57Time to go hunting mammoths.
05:59And if mammoths aren't cooperating, just gather nuts, berries, and bird eggs.
06:05Stone Age humans were real foodies.
06:08They made flour from oats and spiced things up with wild onions and mustard seeds.
06:14There were artists, too.
06:16Using minerals and bones, they created stunning images and even flutes for some musical entertainment
06:22around the campfire.
06:24You still can only talk in body language and facial expressions.
06:28But Homo sapiens were smarter than their ancestors, so you could even teach them basic gestures
06:34and their meaning, like hands up for mammoth and stuff.
06:39Maybe try doing a funky dance or a happy jig.
06:42That would get their attention for sure.
06:45But this wouldn't be the only way to communicate.
06:49Stone Age peeps loved drawing and making flutes, so you could totally join in on the creative
06:54fun.
06:56Show off your artistic skills with a drawing or two, or maybe even play some tunes.
07:01Don't worry, they would be impressed by your skills, even if you aren't that far away from
07:06them.
07:07But tools are definitely the way to their hearts.
07:10If you brought some handy gadgets or cool inventions from our time, they'd be super
07:15impressed.
07:16Just create some simple tool from the future that can make their lives easier, and they'll
07:21love you instantly.
07:23So while you might not be having deep philosophical debates with the Stone Age crew, you can still
07:29share some good times.
07:31Learning is the way to go.
07:33Besides, even though life was shorter back then, averaging around 30 years, it's still
07:38enough time to find a partner and have kids.
07:41Though, um, the dating pool might be a bit limited.
07:45So let's leave that topic for another time.
07:49Just hold on to that axe at night because, well, sometimes, our ancestors would eat each
07:55other and like to do some head-dumping battles.
07:58Yikes.
08:00Let's finish our journey with the Bronze Age, just for fun.
08:04This cool era lasted from around 3300 to around 1200 BCE, and guess what?
08:11They were all about that strong metal called bronze.
08:16It's the time when people got creative and started using bronze to make all sorts of
08:20cool things.
08:23Bronze is a combo of copper and tin, making it harder and more durable than anything else
08:28at the time.
08:31Awesome civilizations started popping up all over the place.
08:34They either made their own bronze by smelting copper and mixing it with tin, or traded for
08:39it with other places.
08:41So, as you step into this ancient era, you'll be amazed by the sight of bustling Bronze
08:47Age cities with majestic bronze gates, amazing markets, and grand temples dedicated to powerful
08:54gods.
08:57During the Bronze Age, we finally developed languages and writing.
09:01Mesopotamia and Egypt were leading the way with their fancy cuneiform and hieroglyphs,
09:06the earliest writing systems ever.
09:09They were basically the kings of calligraphy.
09:12Remember, the language might be a bit different.
09:15You'd be hearing unfamiliar words.
09:18But with these humans, you can at least use drawings, art, and many other things to communicate.
09:24Anyway, this is what meeting our ancestors would be like.
09:29What a wild journey through time.
09:32So, remember to cherish our past and appreciate the wonders of our modern world.
09:38Stay tuned!
09:39That's it for today.
09:41So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your
09:45friends.
09:46Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
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