Final answer:
Modern humans originated in Africa around 200,000 years ago. Significant migration out of Africa commenced around 100,000 years ago, with human presence in Europe and Asia by 40,000 years ago, and the Americas by around 13,000 to 16,000 years ago. By 15,000 years ago, humans had colonized all habitable continents.
Step-by-step explanation:
The spread of human beings around the world is a key topic in human history. Modern humans, known as Homo sapiens, emerged in Africa around 200,000 years ago and began migrating out of Africa as early. The first significant exodus occurred approximately 100,000 years ago, with humans moving through the Sinai into southwest Asia.By 40,000 years ago, modern humans made their way into Europe and Asia, and even reached Australia. There's evidence suggesting the presence of humans in Papua New Guinea and Australia that dates back at least 45,000 years. In contrast, the migration to the Americas happened much later. It is believed that modern humans did not arrive in the Americas until around 16,000 to 13,000 years ago, and this was achieved as humans traveled across the Bering Land Bridge, which connected Asia to North America during the ice age.
It was approximately 15,000 years ago that humans entered North America and eventually moved down to the Southern Cone of South America, thus marking the end of significant prehistoric migration events and the colonization of all habitable continents on Earth.