Nearly Extinct: Humanity's Near-Disaster 1 Million Years Ago
Approximately one million years ago, human ancestors faced a near-extinction, surviving a genetic bottleneck that reduced the population to about 1,280 individuals, likely driven by climate change. This event significantly impacted human evolution, including the fusion of two chromosomes into human chromosome 2, which distinguished humans from other primates. Following environmental improvements and technological advances, humans gradually recovered and expanded globally, demonstrating resilience through adversity.
