Synopsis

New archaeological findings are reshaping our understanding of life on Earth in the distant past. The picture emerging is one akin to a fantastical realm, where early humans coexisted with a variety of intelligent, human-like beings – Neanderthals, Denisovans, and even those often imagined as hobbits. Yet, how did these distinct hominid species evolve independently in isolated regions across the world? And why is there no fossil record documenting a gradual divergence from a single ancestral for