Question 1

What is Homo habilis most known for?

Accepted Answer

Homo habilis ("handy man") is known for making tools and is often thought of as our earliest Homo ancestor, traditionally seen as evolving directly into Homo erectus. However, nowadays, this is debated.

Question 2

Is Homo habilis the first human?

Accepted Answer

Homo habilis was traditionally seen as the first species in the genus of Homo, and thus the first human, but this is now debated. Homo habilis shows a mishmash of features that remind partially of Homo and partially of Australopithecus, and there is much discussion on whether to keep Homo habilis within the genus of Homo or to add it to Australopithecus (or even to a new genus).

Question 3

When and where did Homo habilis live?

Accepted Answer

Homo habilis lived from c. 2.3 to 1.5 million years ago, in East Africa at locations such as the Koobi Fora site in Kenya, and in Ethiopia, but also in South Africa at Sterkfontein and, potentially, Swartkrans (which yielded remains of early Homo which are proving difficult to classify).

Homo Habilis

Definition

Timeline