When you gaze at the stars or walk through a forest, it’s easy to forget that human existence is just a tiny blip in Earth’s vast timeline. But behind every footprint and fossil is a story stretching back millions of years. So, how long have humans been on Earth ? The answer takes us on an awe-inspiring journey that blends science, survival, and evolution—more than just dates on a timeline. 🧬 From Primordial Origins to the Rise of Homo Sapiens 🌿 The Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old , but the ancestors of humans began their evolutionary path far later. According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History , early members of the human lineage—called hominins —emerged in Africa about 6 to 7 million years ago . These early relatives, such as Sahelanthropus tchadensis , walked upright but were far from what we know as modern humans . It wasn’t until about 300,000 years ago that Homo sapiens , our direct species, appeared. This milestone, supported by findings fr...