In paleoanthropology, the recent African origin of modern humans, or the "out of

Africa" theory (OOA), is the most widely accepted model of the geographic origin
and early migration of anatomically modern humans. The theory is called the "out-

of-Africa" theory in the popular press, and the "recent single-origin hypothesis"
(RSOH), "replacement hypothesis", or "recent African origin model" (RAO) by
experts in the field. The concept was speculative before it was corroborated in the
1980s by a study of present-day mitochondrial DNA, combined with evidence based
on physical anthropology of archaic specimens.

Genetic studies and fossil evidence indicate that archaic Homo sapiens evolved to
anatomically modern humans solely in Africa between 200,000 and 60,000 years
ago,[1] that members of one branch of Homo sapiens left Africa at some point
between 125,000 and 60,000 years ago, and that over time these humans replaced
other populations of the genus Homo such as Neanderthals and Homo erectus.[2]
The date of the earliest successful "out of Africa" migration (earliest migrants with
living descendants) has generally been placed at 60,000 years ago based on
mitochondrial genetics, but this model has recently been contested by simulations
of mitochrondrial DNA data,[3] 125,000 year old Arabian archaeological finds of
tools in the region[4] and the discovery of Homo sapiens teeth in China, dating to at
least 80,000 years ago.[5]

The recent single origin of modern humans in East Africa is the predominant
position held within the scientific community.[6][7][8][9][10] There are differing
theories on whether there was a single exodus or several. An increasing number of
researchers think that "long-neglected North Africa"[11][12] may have been the
original home of the first modern humans to migrate out of Africa.[13][14]

The major competing hypothesis is the multiregional origin of modern humans,

which envisions a wave of Homo sapiens migrating earlier from Africa and
interbreeding with local Homo erectus populations in multiple regions of the globe.
Most multiregionalists still view Africa as a major wellspring of human genetic
diversity, but allow a much greater role for hybridization.[15][16]

Genetic testing in the last decade has revealed that several now extinct archaic
human species may have interbred with modern humans. These species have been
claimed to have left their genetic imprint in different regions across the world:
Neanderthals in all humans except Sub-Saharan Africans, Denisova hominin in
Australasia (for example, Melanesians, Aboriginal Australians and some Negritos)
and there could also have been interbreeding between Sub-Saharan Africans and an
as-yet-unknown hominin (possibly remnants of the ancient species Homo
heidelbergensis). However, the rate of interbreeding was found to be relatively low
(110%) and other studies have suggested that the presence of Neanderthal or
other archaic human genetic markers in modern humans can be attributed to
shared ancestral traits originating from a common ancestor 500,000 to 800,000
years ago.

multiregional hypothesis, multiregional evolution (MRE), or polycentric theory is a

scientific model that provides an alternative explanation to the more widely
accepted "Out of Africa" model for the pattern of human evolution.

Multiregional evolution holds that the human species first arose around two million
years ago and subsequent human evolution has been within a single, continuous
human species. This species encompasses all archaic human forms such as H.
erectus and Neanderthals as well as modern forms, and evolved worldwide to the
diverse populations of modern Homo sapiens sapiens. The theory contends that the
mechanism of clinal variation through a model of "Centre and Edge" allowed for the
necessary balance between genetic drift, gene flow and selection throughout the
Pleistocene, as well as overall evolution as a global species, but while retaining
regional differences in certain morphological features.[1] Proponents of
multiregionalism point to fossil and genomic data and continuity of archaeological
cultures as support for their hypothesis.