Nova: Season 52, Episode 12

52 - 12: Human: Origins

Around 300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens emerged in Africa – one of at least seven human species alive at the time. Now, we are the only remaining human line, and our impact on the planet is undeniable.In this stunningly cinematic five-part series, paleoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi takes viewers back in time to trace the surprising story of human origins. Remarkable new fossil evidence, modern DNA sequencing, and other cutting-edge scientific tools are shedding new light on the lives and journeys of long-vanished human species, and how our encounters with them helped make us who we are today. This evidence also reveals how our ancestors survived as they encountered new landscapes, developing the physical and cultural tools to help them survive – and eventually, with the rise of cities and complex civilizations, thrive – as no species has ever done.