As scientists from Great Britain found out, the exit from Africa and subsequent changes in the environment led to the fact that the ancient people became more tolerant and friendlier to each other.
The work was published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory. Homo sapiens have the ability to care for other people who are not related to their relatives, friends, or neighbors. Most other animals cannot boast of this quality and are inclined to defend themselves against representatives of other groups.
Thus, man can be called one of the most tolerant creatures - at least in relation to his own kind. Our natural tolerance and friendliness helps us to work together both individually and globally. The presence of this quality, for example, is clearly seen in the provision of international assistance in the event of natural disasters.
Scientists from the Universities of York and Liverpool (UK) set out to find out what could have influenced the development of natural human tolerance. For this, the researchers considered the period between 300 and 30 thousand years ago, which is also called the period of "modern human transition". It was at this time that the formation of Homo sapiens was observed in both anatomical and behavioral aspects.
In their work, the specialists used computer modeling and reproduced the interaction of thousands of people and groups with each other. As a result, they came to the conclusion that more intense and productive communication between our ancestors began to occur at a time when they began to leave the African continent and began to settle in areas with more severe climates.
One of the main factors contributing to this friendly interaction, according to scientists, was access to resources. Aggression helps to defend its territory and expel outsiders from it, however, when resources run out on it, the group risks dying. Therefore, the ancient ancestors probably developed the ability to be more tolerant of using resources within the boundaries of these territories: this could bring benefits to both sides.
Bonobos, for example, exhibit similar behavior. Different groups of these chimpanzees willingly share food not only with members of their flock, but also with other groups that live in the "border" territories. In a deteriorating natural environment, such a strategy can be decisive.