What do we know about our origins? When do humans first appear in the evolution of life? What do fossil remains reveal about our ancestry? Since the 1950s, our understanding of our human origins has grown exponentially. In this short talk, I provide a basic overview of what we know today about the origin of humankind. I take you on a journey through some of the earliest hominins; describe when our genus ‘Homo’ first appears; and talk about the first appearance of anatomically modern humans. This talk was held by the Field Geology Club of South Australia (video credits: Graeme Stanley & Nathan Benger) © Paul Curnow.