Homo erectus may have been a sailor – and able to speak

A new theory suggests that Homo erectus was able to create seagoing vessels - and must have used language to sail successfully

They had bodies similar to modern humans, could make tools, and were possibly the first to cook. Now one expert is arguing that Homo erectus might have been a mariner - complete with sailing lingo.

Homo erectus first appeared in Africa more than 1.8m years ago and is thought to be the first archaic human to leave the continent.