Humans evolved from earlier primate ancestors over millions of years, not from a single modern species but through a branching lineage of hominins that shared common ancestors with other great apes. The closest living relatives are chimpanzees and bonobos, with whom humans share a common ancestor that lived roughly 6 to 8 million years ago. Key points:

• Early hominins: The human lineage (Homo) emerged within a broader group of hominins that walked upright and gradually increased brain size and tool use. Bipedalism appeared earlier than large-brained humans, with fossils showing primitive walking adaptations dating back around 4 to 6 million years.
• African origin: Most evidence supports that modern humans (Homo sapiens) originated in Africa, with diverse populations contributing to the genetic makeup of the species. From Africa, groups migrated to Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas in waves extending up to roughly the past 60,000 years in some regions.
• Interactions and diversity: The Homo genus includes several species that lived at different times and places (e.g., Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis, and others). These groups sometimes coexisted and interbred with early Homo sapiens, leaving genetic traces in modern humans.
• Timeline highlights:
  • About 6–7 million years ago: Divergence between the line leading to humans and the line leading to African great apes.
  • About 4–2 million years ago: Early hominins exhibiting bipedalism and other new traits.
  • About 300,000 years ago: Emergence of anatomically modern Homo sapiens in Africa.
  • After 60,000 years ago: Global expansions and cultural/technological developments.

If you’d like, I can tailor this into a concise timeline or provide sources from museum and university references for deeper reading.