Produced by: Tarun Mishra
A study published in August 2023 suggests that human ancestors experienced a dramatic population decline 900,000 to 800,000 years ago, losing 98.7% of their numbers.
The study, published in Science, estimates that the population of breeding individuals was reduced to around 1,280 and remained this small for over 100,000 years.
Following a meticulous Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) from May 20-25, EEL delivered the initial batch of 120 units to the Pulgaon ammunition depot.
Prior to this bottleneck, the population of breeding individuals ranged between 58,600 and 135,000, indicating a drastic reduction.
Researchers argue that extreme cooling and severe droughts in Africa around 900,000 years ago contributed to the decline, along with the reduction of food sources.
Co-authors Yi-Hsuan Pan and Haipeng Li believe that ancestral unity and cooperation were crucial for surviving these harsh environmental changes.
The population decline may explain gaps in the African fossil record and could have impacted the genetic diversity of human ancestors, influencing the evolution of Homo heidelbergensis, Neanderthals, and Denisovans.
The study analyzed genetic data from over 3,000 modern humans to track gene variants and draw conclusions about early human evolution, but its methods and interpretations have been questioned by other scientists.
While some in the scientific community accept the findings, others, like Aaron Ragsdale, call for independent verification and additional research to validate these conclusions and understand the factors behind the population decline.