The Reason Why There Was No First Human

Biological Evolution
Science & Environmental Education
by Edward Hessler

Inspired by Richard Dawkins's The Magic of Reality, PBS produced a short video which explains why there was no first human. It is nicely done and includes most of the major species along the way, from way back then to the present now.

Over at "Why Evolution is True" (WEIT) — it is true, of course! — University of Chicago population biologist, professor Jerry Coyne has posted a related animation. Change, change, change over 550 million years of human evolution. It may be viewed both forward and backward.

There is also a book based on this animation, titled EVO. It displays the evolution of human generations displayed on a single 30 m long page (~98 feet; ~ 33 yards) — folded in a zig-zag pattern — that traces human history through 153 generations. Father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great grandfather...all the way to/from the beginning.