Homo sapiens is the scientific name for modern humans, which is the only extant member of the genus Homo. Although some scientists equate the term "humans" with all members of the genus Homo, in common usage, it generally refers to Homo sapiens. Anatomically modern humans emerged around 300,000 years ago in Africa, evolving from Homo heidelbergensis or a similar species. Modern humans are characterized by their hairlessness, bipedalism, and high intelligence, with large brains that enable complex thinking and communication. Some key facts about Homo sapiens include:

• The name "Homo sapiens" means wise man or knowledgeable man.
• Modern human faces show much less (if any) of the heavy brow ridges and prognathism of other early humans. Our jaws are also less heavily developed, with smaller teeth.
• Homo sapiens sapiens is the name given to our species if we are considered a subspecies of a larger group. This name is used by those that describe the specimen from Herto, Ethiopia as Homo sapiens idàltu or by those who believed that modern humans and the Neanderthals were members of the same species.
• Homo sapiens evolved in Africa from Homo heidelbergensis. They co-existed for a long time in Europe and the Middle East with the Neanderthals, and possibly with Homo erectus in Asia and Homo floresiensis in Indonesia, but are now the only surviving human species.

In summary, Homo sapiens is the scientific name for modern humans, which emerged around 300,000 years ago in Africa, evolving from Homo heidelbergensis or a similar species. They are characterized by their hairlessness, bipedalism, and high intelligence, with large brains that enable complex thinking and communication.