Timeline of human evolution

The timeline of human evolution outlines the major events in the development of the human species, Homo sapiens, and the evolution of human ancestors. It includes brief explanations of some of the species, genera, and the higher ranks of taxa that are seen today as possible ancestors of modern humans.

This timeline is based on studies from anthropology, paleontology, developmental biology, morphology, and from anatomical and genetic data. It does not address the origin of life, which discussion is provided by abiogenesis, but presents one possible line of evolutionary descent of species that eventually led to humans.

A caution: Other than Mr Haeckel's historic and emblematic "tree", this article provides no phylogenetics analysis to help portray the complex, nonlinear facts of human evolution. It is important that the "possible line of evolutionary descent" should not be interpreted as providing a linear progression from very early taxa to a (presupposed) objective of Homo sapiens; no such directed progression is implied here.

One of several possible lines of descent, or taxonomic ranking, of Homo sapiens is shown below.

The choanoflagellates may look similar to the ancestors of the entire animal kingdom, and in particular they may be the direct ancestors of sponges.

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