When Humanity Almost Went Extinct — Only 1,280 Humans Left

At one point in Earth’s distant past, humanity may have come terrifyingly close to extinction. New genetic research suggests that early human populations collapsed so dramatically that as few as 1,280 breeding individuals may have remained alive on the entire planet. In this episode of GL Deep Dives, we explore the shocking evidence behind one of the most dangerous periods in human history — a population bottleneck that may have lasted thousands of years. What caused it? Massive climate change? Global catastrophe? Volcanic disaster? Or something we still don’t fully understand? We explore: The genetic evidence hidden in modern DNA The environmental collapse that reshaped early humanity How our ancestors survived against impossible odds And how this near extinction may have shaped who we are today. Every human alive today may descend from a shockingly small group of survivors. Welcome to GL Deep Dives. Support the show