| The Earth is inhabited by people. We the people are truly one
family: we are simply called Human beings, humans or man. The technical term is
Homo Sapien, which derives from the Latin language and signifies "wise human"
or "knowing human." The etymology of the term stems from the Latin word
homö, which means man and/or from the Old Latin word hemö, which
means earthly one and from the Latin present participle of the verb sapere to
know; hence the term "Homo Sapien" or "Wise / Knowing Human." Humans inhabit every continent on Earth except Antarctica. The human population as of 2008 is estimated at over 6.7 billion (6,700,000,000) people. The 20th century has shown the greatest historical increase in population, which reached an unprecedented 2.2% per year in 1963. Humans recently began to formally and collectively record their population statistics as far back as around 1750 A.D. At that time, there were recorded around 791 million people in the world. The world's population, on its current growth trajectory, is expected to reach nearly 9 billion by the year 2050. See chart below.
Humans have a long history on the planet since the creation of the Earth by God. Humans are the direct descendants of the first man: Adam and Eve, who lived in a place called Eden, somewhere between present day Africa and Asia. The etymology of the first humans is fascinating: Adam is derived from the Hebrew word, which means "dust; man; mankind;" and Eve is derived from the Hebrew word, which means "living one." According to the religious books of the Torah, the Bible, and the Qur'an, the first man and woman were created by God. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions of God's creation regarding the development and functioning of all know living organisms. The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information. Different analogies of DNA, which help us understand this amazing concept can be likened unto a set of blueprints or a recipe, or a code, because they all contain instructions needed to make other components of cells, such as proteins and RNA molecules. The DNA segments that host this genetic code are called genes. We have all heard of genes. We inherit our particular genes from our parents and ancestors. DNA evidence indicates that modern humans originated in Africa. Humans are notable for their desire to understand and influence the world around them, seeking to explain and manipulate natural phenomena through philosophy, art, science, sports, medicine, culinary arts, mythology and religion. This natural curiosity has led to the development of advanced tools, skills, knowledge, inventions and other accomplishments; humans are the only species known to build fires, cook their food, clothe themselves; they also manipulate and develop numerous other techologies. Humans pass down their knowledge and experience to the next generations through education, history and genealogy. |