Final answer:
Homo sapiens was the first human ancestor to display recognizable human culture, emerging around 200,000 years ago in Africa. The Upper Paleolithic period marked significant cultural changes, including advancements in tool technology and symbolic expression.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first human ancestor to display recognizable human culture was Homo sapiens, who emerged around 200,000 years ago in Africa. These early humans had anatomically similar bodies to modern humans but had not yet developed the cultural traditions and technologies seen among later Homo sapiens. The cultural changes associated with this period, known as the Upper Paleolithic or the 'human revolution,' included advancements in tool technology, subsistence patterns, and symbolic expression.