All Evolution Stages

A chronological guide through 11 representative species — from the earliest known eutherian mammal to modern humans. Each entry links to a full content page.

1JurassicAbout 160 million years ago

Juramaia sinensis

Early eutherian mammal

A tiny, shrew-like creature that represents one of the earliest known placental mammals — a pivotal branch point in the story of all eutherian life.

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2PaleoceneAbout 66 million years ago

Purgatorius

Early primate-like mammal

One of the earliest known primatomorphs, Purgatorius appeared at the dawn of the Cenozoic era and may represent an early branch near the origin of the primate lineage.

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3OligoceneAbout 30 million years ago

Aegyptopithecus zeuxis

Early catarrhine primate

An early catarrhine primate from Egypt that provides a critical window into the evolutionary stage before the divergence of Old World monkeys and apes.

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4MioceneAbout 21 million years ago

Proconsul

Early ape

An early Miocene ape from East Africa that lacked a tail and possessed a combination of monkey and ape features, representing a pivotal stage in ape evolution.

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5MioceneAbout 7 to 6 million years ago

Sahelanthropus tchadensis

Very early hominin

One of the oldest known potential hominins, discovered in Chad, showing a mix of ape-like and human-like features that places it near the crucial split between human and chimpanzee lineages.

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6PlioceneAbout 4.4 million years ago

Ardipithecus ramidus

Ardi / Early hominin

Known informally as 'Ardi,' this early hominin from Ethiopia challenged assumptions about human evolution by combining bipedal walking with tree-climbing adaptations.

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7PlioceneAbout 3.9 million years ago

Australopithecus afarensis

Lucy's species

Famous as 'Lucy's species,' Australopithecus afarensis was a committed biped with a small brain that thrived for over a million years in East Africa.

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8PleistoceneAbout 2.4 million years ago

Homo habilis

Handy man

The first member of the genus Homo, Homo habilis was associated with early stone tool use and marks a pivotal transition in the human evolutionary story.

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9PleistoceneAbout 1.9 million years ago

Homo erectus

Upright human

The first hominin to leave Africa and spread across much of the Old World, Homo erectus was a highly successful species with advanced tools and possibly the first use of fire.

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10PleistoceneAbout 700,000 years ago

Homo heidelbergensis

Archaic human

A large-brained archaic human that lived in Africa and Europe, likely ancestral to both Neanderthals and modern humans, showing evidence of advanced hunting and possible symbolic behavior.

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11Pleistocene to presentAbout 300,000 years ago

Homo sapiens

Modern human

Anatomically modern humans who emerged in Africa around 300,000 years ago, developed complex language, art, and culture, and eventually spread to every corner of the planet.

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These stages are presented as a simplified educational sequence. They are not a guaranteed direct ancestor-to-descendant chain — each represents an important species near or within the evolutionary lineage leading toward modern humans. Learn more about how to interpret this sequence.

Interactive Experience

Explore Dog Genetics at DogWeave

Learn about man's best friend. The Breeding Studio is DogWeave's interactive genetics sandbox — pick two parents to simulate a hybrid and get a generated image, trait profile, size range, and ancestry context in one flow.