Homo erectus is an extinct species of early humans discovere in 1891 by Dutch physician Eugene Dubois. He named these remains Pithecanthropus erectus, meaning "erect ape-man," due to his belief that this species represneted the missing link between apes and humans. It received its current title in recognition of its unmistakable humanlike physical features and its evolutionary ressemblances to Homo sapiens. Unlike Australopithecus, Homo erectus remains are in a remarkable abundance possibly due to their closer existence in time to ours. A positive effect of this rich source of fossils is the different time periods in which these remains were left behind, allowing paleontologists to record the different stages of evolutionary change that occured in this hominid group.

Homo erectus' position in the scale of human evolution has changed little since the discovery of other fossil species such as Australopithecus and homo habilis, the more primitive ancestors of our species. Homo erectus walked upright like modern humans and had an increasing brain size in relation to its older ancestors-- early Homo erectus specimens have brains approximately half as large as modern day humans. Later fossils have brains two-thirds the size of modern man's demonstrating the close relationship between Homo erectus and Homo sapiens.

This ancestor posessed superior manual skills than Australopithecus, and employed the use of crude stone tools such as hand axes and chopping stones. As well, Homo erectus was the first species to discover the use of fire, which allowed the migration of the sepcies to more northerly positions on the earth. This is revealed by charred patches of earth and the discovery in France of tents and other human-made dwellings. The regions of the cold north were not habited by Homo erectus, but this species was highly adaptable to survive in a variety of habitats, form the heat of Africa to the chill of central China, thanks mostly to the fire before mentioned as a means of warmth and food preparation.

There is some evidence that Homo erectus engaged in groups of cooperative hunting. Stone tools and the bones of baboons found in Kenya suggest a place where hunters killed a large amount of animals in a short period of time. In Spain, another possible kill site is marked by the remains of 50 dead elephants.

No bones of Homo erectus have been found in sites of deliberate burials; their remians are usually found in the same condition as and mixed with animal bones. There are several Homo erectus skulls that are found with the base was removed to get at the brain, indicating that cannibalism may have taken place.