Communiqué
Follow the story of Homo sapiens as they spread across the globe. “Human” on NOVA – September 17 at 9 pm
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“Human: Origins”
Premieres Wednesday,
Around 300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens emerged in Africa – one of at least seven human species alive at the time. Now, we are the only remaining human species, and our impact on the planet is undeniable.
This stunningly cinematic five-part series, hosted by paleoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi, takes us back in time to meet the inventors of the modern world. For most of our species’ history, there was no written record, but now with remarkable new fossil evidence, the latest discoveries in DNA sequencing, and other cutting-edge scientific tools, we can piece together clues to better understand our past. Viewers will discover how closely related we are to the other, now-vanished human species, and see how the traces they left behind reveal just how “human” our prehistoric ancestors really were.
“For centuries, we have been the most influential animal on Earth, so it would be easy to assume that we were always destined for greatness, but in reality, we started as just one of many human species and, arguably, the underdog of the group,” said Al-Shamahi. “Our understanding of this remarkable journey is still filled with mystery, but in the last few years, the discovery of new human species and a revolution in DNA technology has drastically changed our understanding of our own history, making this the perfect time to tell the story of our origins.”
Al-Shamahi brings viewers into the minds of the human species that came before us. Along the way, “Human” follows the earliest humans’ paths out of Africa, leading them to new landscapes that no other humans had ever traversed. Audiences will meet the other human species that they would have encountered and explore how those interactions helped make many of us who we are today. The series also examines how Homo sapiens began to build cities and civilizations, accelerating our species’ advancement by recording and sharing the sum of human knowledge through a transformational technology: writing.
“Our goal with “Human” is to reconnect us with our origins as a species and show the long, complex and serendipitous journey our ancestors took to get where we are today. And it’s a story we can tell today thanks to the scientific research that is revealing their story – in other words, our story!” said Co-Executive Producer Chris Schmidt. “We’re thrilled to be working with Ella to bring our shared history to life, and are grateful to be able to share it with audiences on PBS.”