An Evolutionary Fork: Fossil Record Evidence of Humanity and Its Variation From the Primate The early history of humans (homo-sapiens) is a contentious and heavily debated subject in the scientific community. Exactly when and from which ancestry our species evolved is a topic of speculation that many disagree on. What most in the scientific community can almost unanimously agree on is that homo-sapiens did indeed evolve from lesser beings. There is no shortage of fossil record indicating evolution as a force in this world’s early progression. The real debate begins with when humans arrived in the fossil record themselves. The function of this essay will be to first designate which characteristics define and distinguish humans from other animals and in particular other primates. Second it will serve to discuss the earliest fossil records of humanity and their significance scientifically. These conclusions will seek to provide a viable definition for the above posed question of the evolutionary root of homo-sapiens. In order to determine when humans first began showing up in fossil records one must assign humans recognizable and unique characteristics that can distinguish them from other primates that may have been similar in appearance and structure to homo-sapiens’ early ancestors. Prior to that designation though, one must ascertain why the distinction must be made at all. Why must a clear distinction be made from other primates and not from early reptiles or other mammals? The answer lies in the now acceptable fact that humans and primates share a common ancestor. Adolph Schultz, formerly of John Hopkins University, stated, “Today there can be no longer any serious doubt that, in spite of all his many distinctions, man can and must be assigned a definite place within the order of primates among the Old World…” (Schultz 1950, 428). Once the reason