Homo sapiens: Difference between revisions

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Homo sapiens (Latin for 'wise man') is the only extant species of the genus Homo (humans), first being classified as such by Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus in his magnum opus Systema Naturae (1758). It is also the most common species of primate, numbering at an estimated 8 billion as of 2022. Homo sapiens is characterised by its bipedality, dexterity, and well-developed brain which enables complex thought.

Homo sapiens emerged in Africa roughly 300,000 years ago and have since spread to all other continents on Earth, adapting to a variety of harsh climates by developing the appropriate tools and clothing and by modifying their surroundings. Homo sapiens is a highly social species capable of creating complex social structures such as class, family, language, and religion.

Throughout most of its history, homo sapiens lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers, but with the dawn of agriculture following the end of the Ice Age around 12,000 years ago came the emergence of large-scale human settlements and, as a result, the formation of class society. Over time, as the existing relations of production have become an active hindrance to the further development of the productive forces, this has led to class struggle and eventually the overthrow of the existing social order. Through this process, homo sapiens (and no other species) has advanced through the slave, feudal/Asiatic, and capitalist modes of production, albeit at varying speeds and not necessarily in a linear progression.

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-[[File:Mark Zuckerberg.jpg|thumb|[[Mark Zuckerberg]], noted ''homo sapiens'']]
+[[File:Human world population density.png|thumb|''Homo sapiens'' population density in 2020]]
-'''''Homo sapiens''''' ([[Latin]] for "Man the Wise") is the only extant [[species]] of the [[genus]] ''[[Homo]]'' (humans), first being classified as such by [[Kingdom of Sweden|Swedish]] biologist [[Carl Linnaeus]] in his magnum opus [[Systema Naturae|''Systema Naturae'']] (1758). It is also the most common species of [[primate]], numbering at an estimated 8 billion as of 2022. ''Homines sapientes'' are characterised by their [[Bipedalism|bipedality]], [[dexterity]], and well-developed [[Brain|brains]] which enable complex thought.
+'''''Homo sapiens''''' (Latin for 'wise man') is the only extant species of the genus ''Homo'' (humans), first being classified as such by [[Kingdom of Sweden|Swedish]] biologist [[Carl Linnaeus]] in his magnum opus ''Systema Naturae'' (1758). It is also the most common species of primate, numbering at an estimated 8 billion as of 2022. ''Homo sapiens'' is characterised by its bipedality, dexterity, and well-developed brain which enables complex thought.
-''Homines sapientes'' emerged in [[Africa]] roughly 300,000 years ago and have since spread to all other [[Continent|continents]] on [[Earth]], adapting to a variety of harsh climates by developing the appropriate [[Tool|tools]] and [[clothing]] and by [[Human impact on the environment|modifying their surroundings]]. ''Homines sapientes'' are highly social creatures, creating complex social structures such as [[class]], [[family]], and [[religion]].
+''Homo sapiens'' emerged in [[Africa]] roughly 300,000 years ago and have since spread to all other [[Continent|continents]] on [[Earth]], adapting to a variety of harsh climates by developing the appropriate [[Tool|tools]] and [[clothing]] and by [[Human impact on the environment|modifying their surroundings]]. ''Homo sapiens'' is a highly social species capable of creating complex social structures such as [[class]], [[family]], [[language]], and [[religion]].
-Throughout most of their history, ''homines sapientes'' lived as [[Nomadism|nomadic]] [[Hunter-gatherer|hunter-gatherers]], but with the [[Neolithic Revolution|dawn of agriculture]] following the end of the [[Pleistocene|Ice Age]] around 12,000 years ago came the emergence of large-scale human settlements and, as a result, the formation of class society. Over time, as the existing [[relations of production]] have become an active hindrance to the further development of the [[productive forces]], this has led to [[class struggle]] and eventually the overthrow of the existing social order. Through this process, ''homines sapientes'' (and no other species) have advanced through the [[Slavery|slave]], [[Feudalism|feudal]]/[[Asiatic mode of production|Asiatic]], and [[Capitalism|capitalist]] [[Mode of production|modes of production]], albeit at varying speeds and not necessarily in a linear progression.
+Throughout most of its history, ''homo sapiens'' lived as [[Nomadism|nomadic]] [[Hunter-gatherer|hunter-gatherers]], but with the [[Agricultural Revolution|dawn of agriculture]] following the end of the [[Pleistocene|Ice Age]] around 12,000 years ago came the emergence of large-scale human settlements and, as a result, the formation of class society. Over time, as the existing [[relations of production]] have become an active hindrance to the further development of the [[productive forces]], this has led to [[class struggle]] and eventually the [[Revolution|overthrow]] of the existing social order. Through this process, ''homo sapiens'' (and no other species) has advanced through the [[Slavery|slave]], [[Feudalism|feudal]]/[[Asiatic mode of production|Asiatic]], and [[Capitalism|capitalist]] [[Mode of production|modes of production]], albeit at varying speeds and not necessarily in a linear progression.
+[[Category:Pages needing references]]