The discovery of homo erectus marked an integral point in human evolutionary history, marking a huge jump in hominid brain size and mental capacity. In order to understand the importance of this find, the author examines the first history of human origins and the debates surrounding the issue, including when the first human appeared. He also addresses the difficulty in accepting certain dates over others, and the reluctance of many people in accepting the reality of their own evolutionary history, as related to molecular structure and the paleontological record.
