<p>It depends on what you mean by “originate,” doesn’t it? In fact, I think it’s generally accepted in the scientific community that virtually all life on Earth evolved from the oceans, starting about 2.5 billion years ago. So if you’re talking about the origin of man as primate, Africa is probably a good bet. But if you’re talking about where life on Earth actually began and then evolved into myriad species, including man, then the answer is the Earth’s oceans.</p>