From Homo Erectus of over 2.2 million years ago came Homo Heidelbergensis (atleast by 1.2 million years). It is generally considered that he begat Homo Neanderthalis at about 700,000 years ago in the European area. At about 200,000 years ago we came along in West or South Africa again from Homo Heidelbergensis. At about 70,000 years ago, a horrible volcanic eruption resulted a brief but dangerous ice age that resulted in only about 2500 breeding pairs of humans left in the world. At about 50,000 years ago, a longer, milder ice age turned the Saharan Desert into a grassland and man was able to cross from lower Africa to populate the world. This man was one time called Cro-Magnon, but genetics have discoved that he is in the middle of modern European genetics. He was found in China 40,000 years ago and Europe about 35,000 years ago. These are from fossilized remains anbd do not indicate exact dates of occupation. Interestingly enough, Homo Erectus lived in Java until 30,000 yeras ago and Neanderthals in Iberia until about 28,000 yeras ago. Northern man eventually mutates to white skin as there is less direct sunlight in the North and Vitamin D (mainly from sunlight) is needed to help fight off disease. Neanderthals were light skinned very long ago (they were mainly European with some in the Levant). Early modern humans changed to light skinned 7000-12,000 years ago with blue eyes coming around 8000-10,000 years ago. America was populated from several sources. The Beringia land bridge led to population from Siberia leading to humans in Oregon at least 14,700 years ago (from carbon 14 dating of cave dung). New evidence suggest the Chesapeake area was populated by Europeans (Clovis people) at about the same time and new evidence suggests perhaps back to 30,000 years although this has not yet been confirmed). Euro man also came over the Beringia land bridge at the same time as the other Oriental immigrants. He is also known in early Japan (current Aino man) and elsewhere in the Orient.