As the era of Homo habilis drew to a close, new species of humans were beginning to colonise Africa. It's strange to imagine living in a world with multiple species of human, but for much of the Pleistocene Epoch of the Cenozoic Era, this is exactly what was happening. Around two million years ago, a new creature began to revolutionise the animal kingdom, innovating in ways that were as of yet unimaginable. Continuing the trend of walking upright that was exhibited in the first few members of the Homo genus, this new creature was named Homo erectus, translating to 'upright man'. Where Homo habilis was adapted to walking and climbing, Homo erectus took the first few steps towards a life lived entirely on the ground. It was a strange new world for these pioneering apes, and it is their unique behaviour and lifestyle that has led to this species becoming synonymous with evolution - as they evolved, our ancestors were becoming more and more intelligent, more powerful, and more successful.

Today, we will be exploring all aspects of the life of Homo erectus - what was it? What did it look like? How did it act and live? What was the world like at the time it lived? These are all questions that we will need to delve deep into the Pleistocene Epoch to answer; a time of dramatic, untouched landscapes, dangerous megafaunal animals and new and strange societies of early humans. Join us as we discover the amazing story of Homo erectus.