The Homo genus began approximately 2.3 million years ago with Homo Habilis, the first species in this lineage, which led to modern humans, Homo sapiens sapiens. Fossils of Homo Habilis were found ...

They called it Homo habilis, or the “handy man”, due to the presence of stone tools near its remains – tools which, the Leakeys said, the ancient human had crafted themselves.

Habilis – “handy man,” or in this case “handy woman” – lived in the grassy highlands of Tanzania between 2.8 and 1.5 million years ago.

Homo Habilis Meaning The Latin name for this species, loosely translated as “handy man” or “able man,” alludes to a crucial characteristic that set it apart: dexterous hands. Fossilized specimens have ...

"When they found Homo habilis stuff in the 1960s they suddenly said, 'Oh no, Handy Man must have made the tools,' and Paranthropus got shoved to the side forever," he said.

Homo habilis Around 2.8 million years ago, another lineage split off from the australopithecines, reversing the trend towards robust dentition. This lineage used stones chipped to serve as tools.

This transition in ecology was sufficiently momentous to warrant a new generic name: Homo, specifically habilis (“handy-man”). These first humans thus became scavengers on animal left-overs.