In case you were wondering if humanity has been messed up since the dawn of time the answer is yes—an archaeologist just confirmed it.
Dr. Penny Spikins, archaeologist at the University of York says the pattern and speed at which the human species was spreading changed approximately 100,000 years ago. According to Dr. Spikins' research, published in Open Quaternary, "archaic humans" moved slowly and only because of outside factors such as increases in population or changing environments. PsyPost writes, "Early species of hominin were limited in distribution to specific environments such as grasslands and open woodland." Climate played a large role in limiting the areas in which early humans settled. But then that didn't matter. Dr. Spikins believes that as betrayals and other conflicts between humans happened more and more people began to look to get away from the people involved in the conflict no matter what. They started to travel further for their own survival. This is precisely when the "dark" side of human nature developed too according to Dr. Spikins.
Humans reportedly traveled across deserts, tundra, and even across the sea to places such as Australia and the Pacific Islands, growing populations in previously uninhabited areas.
"Moral conflicts provoke substantial mobility," said Dr. Spikins. "The furious ex ally, mate or whole group, with a poisoned spear or projectile intent on seeking revenge or justice, are a strong motivation to get away, and to take almost any risk to do so." She added, "While we view the global dispersal of our species as a symbol of our success, part of the motivations for such movements reflect a darker, though no less ‘collaborative’, side to human nature."
