A research article released in 2023 indicates that almost 1 million years ago, humanity was on the brink of extinction. This possible mass extinction phenomenon was uncovered by scientists who were examining the genetic information of 3,145 contemporary humans. The scientists propose that the ancient human population might have dwindled to approximately 1,200 individuals.
In general, the researchers contend that a bottleneck might have occurred between 930,000 and 813,000 years in the past, resulting in a 98.7% decrease in the human population on Earth. Unfortunately, pinpointing the precise reason for this bottleneck remains elusive, but it’s plausible that climate fluctuations were a significant factor behind the event.
Experts theorize that as the planet shifted to the midpoint of the Pleistocene epoch, and the Earth experienced significant cooling, it could have triggered extended periods of cold that decimated the human population. Coupled with droughts and widespread starvation, this situation would have formed a perfect storm for a mass extinction event capable of obliterating humanity.
The researchers propose that humans might have been forced into smaller, more isolated groups, where they competed against one another for survival in an increasingly perilous and challenging environment. Regrettably, fossils from this era are rare, complicating efforts to gather information regarding the event or precisely how near humanity was to extinction.
The study’s results also indicate that around 813,000 years ago, more favorable climates may have played a critical role in allowing human populations to flourish again. The researchers assert that as conditions improved, humans may have expanded once more, leading to the dilution of the bottleneck.
While these findings provoke numerous fascinating inquiries, confirming all assertions with the existing data is challenging. It is hoped that upcoming discoveries, such as those related to extinct human species, will provide more insights into that epoch and the evolution of humanity overall.
