40,000 years ago on the cold steppes of Pleistocene Europe, a woman of the Aurignacian culture takes a walk within sight of two woolly mammoths. The Aurignacian was an Upper Paleolithic culture that first emerged in the Middle East 47,000 years ago and then spread into Europe, where it lasted until 33,000 years ago. Its appearance and dispersal can be traced to the migration of modern humans (Homo sapiens) out of Africa into western Eurasia. Notice that although this woman retains most of the physical features of her African ancestors, her blue eyes may be foreshadowing her descendants' evolution into the "white" people of Europe.