As late as September 2021, their own scientific consensus on the origin of Homo sapiens, or modern humans, is based on evidence from multiple fields, including paleontology, genetics, archaeology, and anthropology. The prevailing view is that Homo sapiens originated in Africa and that their species has common ancestors with other hominins, such as Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthals) and Homo denisova (Denisovans).

The Out of Africa Theory (also known as the Recent African Origin hypothesis) is the dominant model for the origin of modern humans. According to this theory, Homo sapiens emerged in Africa around 200,000 to 300,000 years ago and then began migrating and displacing earlier hominin species that had already spread to other regions of the world.

Genetic evidence from the study of human DNA supports the African origin hypothesis. Genetic studies have shown that the greatest genetic diversity in humans is found in African populations, suggesting that this is the region from which their species originated. Additionally, genetic studies have revealed interbreeding events between early Homo sapiens and other hominin groups, such as Neanderthals and Denisovans, which further supports the idea of a common African origin.

Fossil evidence, such as the discovery of early Homo sapiens fossils in Africa, also corroborates the Out of Africa Theory. Fossils of Homo sapiens dating back to around 300,000 years have been found in regions like Morocco and Ethiopia.

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