A new genomic study suggests that the capacity for human language emerged at least 135,000 years ago, coinciding with the initial geographic divergence of Homo sapiens. This capacity likely transitioned into social use around 100,000 years ago, as indicated by symbolic activities in the archaeological record.
Cave paintings in Sulawesi, Indonesia, date back at least 51,200 years, making them some of the oldest figurative depictions in the world.
