Interesting short read on Homo Sapiens

[Kinsm]

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/did-humans-survive-extinction-level-event-99887

Did Humans Survive an Extinction Level Event?
Warfare became a check on population growth, perhaps the most important one.


Several short, small-brained species survived alongside them: Homo naledi in South Africa, Homo luzonensis in the Philippines, Homo floresiensis (“hobbits”) in Indonesia, and the mysterious Red Deer Cave People in China. Given how quickly we’re discovering new species, more are likely waiting to be found.

By 10,000 years ago, they were all gone. The disappearance of these other species resembles a mass extinction. But there’s no obvious environmental catastrophe – volcanic eruptions, climate change, asteroid impact – driving it. Instead, the extinctions’ timing suggests they were caused by the spread of a new species, evolving 260,000-350,000 years ago in Southern Africa: Homo sapiens.

........

[WrongVerb]

Agriculture began about 10,000-12,000 years ago. I wonder if there's a connection.

[Kinsm]

The estimates on populations (which are not discussed in this article) are what I find most interesting.

We are talking about tiny numbers in comparison to today. An estimated population today near 7.5 billion is estimated to be as low as 5 million worldwide just 12,000 years ago - and were primarily only inhabiting three continents. They would have been extremely small isolated groups whose first instinct was likely kill anyone they stumbled across. It took tens of thousands of years for the group to kill off all rivals, but less than ten thousand to conquer the world and obliterate tens of thousands of more species.

[Sea Ray]

The estimates on populations (which are not discussed in this article) are what I find most interesting.

We are talking about tiny numbers in comparison to today. An estimated population today near 7.5 billion is estimated to be as low as 5 million worldwide just 12,000 years ago - and were primarily only inhabiting three continents. They would have been extremely small isolated groups whose first instinct was likely kill anyone they stumbled across. It took tens of thousands of years for the group to kill off all rivals, but less than ten thousand to conquer the world and obliterate tens of thousands of more species.

It's my guess that homo sapiens killed off the other species. Call it what you want, ethnic cleansing or whatever.

[Kinsm]

Ancient DNA confirms humans wiped out northern hemisphere's version of the penguin

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ancient-dna-confirms-humans-wiped-124919751.html


The North Atlantic was once home to a bird that bore a remarkable similarity to penguins. The great auk, also known as “the original penguin”, was a large, flightless, black and white bird, that is said to have existed in the millions. Despite its appearance, the great auk is actually a relative of razorbills and puffins, not of penguins. However, since around 1844, the northern hemisphere has been without its version of the penguin and it looks like we are to blame.

The great auk had long provided humans with a source of meat and eggs. But from around 1500, hunting dramatically intensified when Europeans discovered the rich fishing grounds of Newfoundland. Within 350 years, the last great auks ever reliably seen were killed to be put in a museum, and the species was lost forever.