Human Ancestry Faced Severe Bottleneck, Study Suggests
Summary
A genetic study suggests human ancestors may have gone through a severe population bottleneck about 900,000 years ago, with the effective breeding population falling to around 1,280 individuals. Scientists say the finding is still debated and should not be read as proof that only 1,280 people were alive on Earth at the time.
Key Points
- A 2023 Science study estimated that the effective breeding population of human ancestors dropped to about 1,280 between roughly 930,000 and 813,000 years ago.
- The article stresses that this does not mean the total human population was only 1,280; it refers to the number contributing genetically to future generations.
- Climate change, food scarcity, disease, migration, and ecological pressures are all possible causes of the decline, but no single cause has been proven.
- Later studies have questioned the result, so the severe bottleneck remains an important hypothesis rather than an undisputed fact.
