Homo erectus is an extinct species of humans that lived during the Pleistocene epoch. The first fossilized remains of Homo erectus were found in Africa and date to approximately 1.9 million years ago. Homo erectus is thought to be the direct ancestor of both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals.
Fossils of Homo erectus have been found on every continent, including Europe, Asia, and Australia. The most complete skeleton of a Homo erectus individual was discovered in Java in 1891 and is known as “Java Man”. Homo erectus was characterized by its large brain size, long limbs, and lack of facial hair.
Homo erectus is thought to have originated in Africa and then spread throughout the world via the process of natural selection. The species is believed to have gone extinct around 100,000 years ago due to competition from other human groups such as Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons.