Human origins refer to the evolutionary process that led to the emergence of modern humans, known as Homo sapiens. This process began millions of years ago, with early ancestors like Australopithecus and Homo habilis showing the first signs of bipedalism and tool use. Over time, these species evolved, adapting to changing environments and developing traits such as larger brains and complex social behaviors. The study of human origins involves various fields, including paleoanthropology, which examines fossil evidence, and genetics, which analyzes DNA to trace lineage. Key discoveries, such as the Lucy fossil and the Out of Africa theory, have provided insights into how early humans migrated and populated the globe.