In the beginning of the last ice age a supervolcano erupted in Indonesia . Theory states the effects of the eruption caused global climatic changes for many years , effectively obliterating most of the earlier cultures . Y-chromosomal Adam ( 90000 - 60000 BP , dated data ) was initially dated here . Neanderthals survived this abrupt change in the environment , so it 's possible for other human groups too . According to the theory humans survived in Africa , and began to resettle areas north , as the effects of the eruption slowly vanished . Upper Paleolithic revolution began after this extreme event , the earliest finds are dated c. 50000 BCE
supervolcano
Toba catastrophe theory
History of Eurasia