The Hemonin Hypothesis – A Theoretical Framework for Early Hominin Cognitive Divergence

This article proposes the Hemonin Hypothesis, suggesting that a rare hybridization event among late Miocene apes contributed to early hominin cognitive divergence. By integrating paleoanthropological, genetic, and evo-devo evidence, the model offers a unified explanation for mosaic traits, regulatory divergence, and unresolved ancestry patterns in early hominins.