Final answer:
Homo erectus, evolving around 1.9 million years ago in East Africa, migrated to Eurasia, and went extinct around 800,000 years ago. It had human-like features and behaviors, including the use of fire and advanced tools. Fossils have been found across Africa, Asia, and Java, indicating widespread migration and habitation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Origins and Findings of Homo erectus
The species Homo erectus is an early species in the genus Homo that first emerged approximately 1.9 million years ago in East Africa. It is recognized as the first of our ancestors to have similar body proportions to modern humans. Notably, Homo erectus would eventually migrate out of Africa and settle across Eurasia, with fossils found in places like India, China, and Java. The species is associated with a range of human-like behaviors, such as the use of fire and the development of complex tools known as the Acheulean industry.
This hominin was believed to be ancestral to Homo heidelbergensis and possessed a number of features akin to modern humans, such as reduced sexual dimorphism, larger body size, and a bigger brain, ranging from 775 to 1,100 cubic centimeters. Evidence suggests that Homo erectus used fire as far back as 1.7-2.0 MYA, significantly earlier than previously thought. The analysis of ancient hearths, charred animal bones, and fossils, particularly in the Zhoukoudian region of China, supports these claims.
Several migratory theories suggest that Homo erectus or a close relative, Homo ergaster, migrated out of Africa around 1.75 million years ago, potentially leading to populations that settled in areas such as Dmanisi in eastern Europe by 1.85 million years ago and on Java by 1.3 to 1.6 million years ago. Homo erectus is thought to have survived until about 800,000 years ago, with some possibility that it lasted in eastern Asia until roughly 300,000 years to potentially as recent as 25,000 years ago.