Final answer:
Anatomically modern humans, or Homo sapiens sapiens, first appeared about 200,000 years ago in Africa. They spread globally and became the sole surviving human species, with characteristic features like a developed chin and a larger cranial capacity. The most accepted theory of their origin is the 'out of Africa' model.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anatomically modern humans, classified as Homo sapiens sapiens, likely first appeared around 200,000 years ago. According to the widely accepted "out of Africa" model, these early humans originated in Africa before spreading globally.
As new fossil finds and genetic analysis are discovered over time, they continue to enhance our understanding of human evolution.
Despite the presence of other human species such as H. erectus around 500,000 years ago and the Neanderthals, it was modern H. sapiens that eventually became the sole surviving human species. By about 40,000 years ago, they had dispersed across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia.
The settlement of the Americas occurred later, with the earliest evidence suggesting a human presence by at least 13,000 to 16,000 years ago.
The defining characteristics of anatomically modern H. sapiens, such as a rounded skull, moderate brow ridges, a developed chin, and a cranial capacity averaging 1,400 cubic centimetres, were established around this time and have continued to define our species through history.