One of the first hominid species, Nsungwepithecus, developed in Europe, while in Africa (Tanzania) the first hominid species (Rukwapithecus, which would give rise to orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans) would develop only 5 million years later. Hominids in Africa would not compete with other apes, but in Africa, Nacholapithecus, 13 million years ago, managed to cross a temporary land bridge to Europe. Then, 11 million years ago, other ape species also arrived in Europe from Africa, while in Europe, Hispanopithecus evolved, and then, 7 million years ago, Graecopitechus freybergi. The latter was discovered after a reanalysis in May 2017 of artifacts found in Athens by Wehrmacht soldiers in 1944 while building a swimming pool in a former underground shelter. The remains date back to 7,175,000 years ago. Numerous fossilized human traces dating back to 5.7 million years ago have also been found on Crete, but shortly thereafter, hominids became extinct in Europe and likely returned to Africa, perhaps due to the Messinian Salinity Crisis (caused by Africa’s closure of Gibraltar), which completely dried out the Mediterranean Sea between 5.9 and 5.3 million years ago, rendering much of the surrounding area uninhabitable. During the Messinian Salinity Crisis, salt deposits 1.5 km thick existed on the Mediterranean seabed (a million cubic kilometers of salt were locked there—changing the salinity of the rest of the world’s seas). Temperatures of 80°C (176°F) on these deposits meant that the Nile and other major rivers were unable, by a factor of ten, to contribute enough water to maintain the Mediterranean Sea. Then, 5.3 million years ago, Gibraltar reopened, the Atlantic Ocean flooded the Mediterranean (Langelian Flood) within a single century (the level rose up to 10m per day).
