Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Want to restore the planet’s ecosystems and see your impact in monthly videos? The first 200 people to join Planet Wild with my code LINDSAY12 will get the first month for free at planetwild.com/r/lindsaynikole/join/12
If you want to get to know them better first, check out their mission, where they go on to Kenya to find a more peaceful solution for the coexistence of lions and farms planetwild.com/r/lindsaynikole/m23/12
Ever wondered how we went from tree-climbing apes to fire-making humans? Journey through the emergence of our genus, Homo! Meet Homo habilis, the "handyman" who first shaped stone tools 2 million years ago, explore the debate around Homo rudolfensis, and discover Homo erectus the first humans to leave Africa, master fire, and spread across the globe. Learn how bigger brains, upright walking, and revolutionary technologies like cooking transformed our ancestors into apex predators and set the stage for modern humanity.
A huge thanks to the team for helping bring this video to life!
Research: Michala Simmons, Bram Smith
Scripting: David Moscato
Editing: Spencer Hoffman-Edminster, Joshua Stroud, Gianfranco Botto
Oh! And I wrote a book, so definitely make sure to grab it—Epic Earth out now!
Order Here: https://a.co/d/54fdZqI
NEW MERCH- lindsaynikole.com
#LindsayNikole #firsthuman #homohabilis
Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: youtube.com/@LindsayNikole?sub_confirmation=1
ABOUT LINDSAY NIKOLE
Join zoologist Lindsay Nikole for vivid stories about evolution, animal behavior, and the wonderfully weird life around (and before) us. Each video dives into creatures you’ve never met and facts you’ll never forget, blending science with humor, visuals, and memorable explanations. From viral mystery IDs and prehistoric deep dives to myth-busting and conservation context, this channel makes complex biology easy and exciting to understand.
Follow Lindsay Nikole here:
Order Lindsay’s new book: geni.us/EpicEarth?brid=yl-xFobehfULq0HItSrw1g
Instagram: instagram.com/lindsay_nikole
Facebook: facebook.com/LindsayNikoleTheZoologist
TikTok: tiktok.com/@lindsaynikole
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/2IDSBorwoeXSD3r67kFTQH?si=Mb2Dg1fgRXWZQzfIzSqgmg&nd=1
Merch: lindsaynikole.com
Chapters:
00:00 “The First Humans” (That We Know Of)
01:30 The Earliest Members of Human Lineage
02:08 "Homo Habilis" The Handyman
05:35 The First Tools "Oldowan stone tools"
12:15 "Homo Rudolfensis" A new species?
17:30 The Rise of "Homo Erectus"
18:45 "Java and Peking Man" that shattered old ideas
25:40 The Day Fire Changed Everything
27:55 Humans at the Top of the Food Chain
28:18 "Homo Ergaster" Species or Variant?
29:05 "Turkana Boy" A Glimpse of Growing Up Human
The First Humans (That We Know Of) | Lindsay Nikole
youtube.com/channel/UCrc2iv2-G1FZ3VscM3zu2jg
Want to restore the planet’s ecosystems and see your impact in monthly videos? The first 200 people to join Planet Wild with my code LINDSAY12 will get the first month for free at planetwild.com/r/lindsaynikole/join/12
If you want to get to know them better first, check out their mission, where they go on to Kenya to find a more peaceful solution for the coexistence of lions and farms planetwild.com/r/lindsaynikole/m23/12
Ever wondered how we went from tree-climbing apes to fire-making humans? Journey through the emergence of our genus, Homo! Meet Homo habilis, the "handyman" who first shaped stone tools 2 million years ago, explore the debate around Homo rudolfensis, and discover Homo erectus the first humans to leave Africa, master fire, and spread across the globe. Learn how bigger brains, upright walking, and revolutionary technologies like cooking transformed our ancestors into apex predators and set the stage for modern humanity.
A huge thanks to the team for helping bring this video to life!
Research: Michala Simmons, Bram Smith
Scripting: David Moscato
Editing: Spencer Hoffman-Edminster, Joshua Stroud, Gianfranco Botto
Oh! And I wrote a book, so definitely make sure to grab it—Epic Earth out now!
Order Here: https://a.co/d/54fdZqI
NEW MERCH- lindsaynikole.com
#LindsayNikole #firsthuman #homohabilis
Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: youtube.com/@LindsayNikole?sub_confirmation=1
ABOUT LINDSAY NIKOLE
Join zoologist Lindsay Nikole for vivid stories about evolution, animal behavior, and the wonderfully weird life around (and before) us. Each video dives into creatures you’ve never met and facts you’ll never forget, blending science with humor, visuals, and memorable explanations. From viral mystery IDs and prehistoric deep dives to myth-busting and conservation context, this channel makes complex biology easy and exciting to understand.
Follow Lindsay Nikole here:
Order Lindsay’s new book: geni.us/EpicEarth?brid=yl-xFobehfULq0HItSrw1g
Instagram: instagram.com/lindsay_nikole
Facebook: facebook.com/LindsayNikoleTheZoologist
TikTok: tiktok.com/@lindsaynikole
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/2IDSBorwoeXSD3r67kFTQH?si=Mb2Dg1fgRXWZQzfIzSqgmg&nd=1
Merch: lindsaynikole.com
Chapters:
00:00 “The First Humans” (That We Know Of)
01:30 The Earliest Members of Human Lineage
02:08 "Homo Habilis" The Handyman
05:35 The First Tools "Oldowan stone tools"
12:15 "Homo Rudolfensis" A new species?
17:30 The Rise of "Homo Erectus"
18:45 "Java and Peking Man" that shattered old ideas
25:40 The Day Fire Changed Everything
27:55 Humans at the Top of the Food Chain
28:18 "Homo Ergaster" Species or Variant?
29:05 "Turkana Boy" A Glimpse of Growing Up Human
The First Humans (That We Know Of) | Lindsay Nikole
youtube.com/channel/UCrc2iv2-G1FZ3VscM3zu2jg
