Homo sapiens

Humans, Homo sapiens, are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, set apart by walking upright on two legs, minimal body hair and a large, complex brain with a highly developed prefrontal cortex. They are omnivorous, generally active by day, and use fire to prepare food. Humans live in complex social structures, from families and kinship networks to states, and have developed language, art, science, philosophy, religion and technology. Any two people are on average over 99 percent genetically similar. The species emerged in Africa around 300,000 years ago and spread across the world, gradually replacing local archaic human populations. Homo sapiens is the only living member of the genus Homo, and in everyday use the word human refers to it, although some scientists apply the term to the whole genus.