Current fossil, genetic, and archeological data indicate that Homo
sapiens originated in Africa in the late Middle Pleistocene. By the
end of the Late Pleistocene, our species was distributed across every
continent except Antarctica, setting the foundations for the
subsequent demographic and cultural changes of the Holocene. The
intervening processes remain intensely debated and a key theme in
hominin evolutionary studies. We review archeological, fossil,
environmental, and genetic data to evaluate the current state of
knowledge on the dispersal of Homo sapiens out of Africa. The emerging
picture of the dispersal process suggests dynamic behavioral
variability, complex interactions between populations, and an
intricate genetic and cultural legacy. This evolutionary and
historical complexity challenges simple narratives and suggests that
hybrid models and the testing of explicit hypotheses are required to
understand the expansion of Homo sapiens into Eurasia.
Rethinking the dispersal of Homo sapiens out of Africa
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