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Paleoanthropology: how old is the oldest human?
1Department of Human Evolution, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Current Biology : CB
|June 3, 2015
Summary
A 2.8 million-year-old mandible found in Ethiopia bridges the evolutionary gap between early human ancestors and the genus Homo. This discovery suggests larger-brained hominins emerged earlier than previously thought.
Area of Science:
- Paleoanthropology
- Human Evolution
- African Paleontology
Background:
- The evolutionary transition from australopithecines to the genus Homo is a critical area of study in human origins.
- Fossil evidence for this period, particularly from Africa, remains sparse, creating gaps in our understanding.
- Previous understanding suggested a later emergence of large-brained hominins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze a newly discovered hominin mandible from Ethiopia.
- To determine the phylogenetic position of this fossil within the human evolutionary tree.
- To reassess the timeline for the emergence of early Homo characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Geological dating of the fossil-bearing strata.
- Comparative anatomical analysis of the mandible with fossil hominins and extant apes.
- Phylogenetic analysis incorporating morphological data.
Main Results:
- A mandible dated to 2.8 million years ago was recovered in Ethiopia.
- The fossil exhibits a mosaic of traits, intermediate between australopithecines and early Homo.
- Its morphology suggests a significant departure from earlier ape-like ancestors.
Conclusions:
- The 2.8 Ma mandible represents a crucial transitional fossil, filling a key gap in the hominin lineage.
- This finding pushes back the origin of large-brained hominins, challenging existing timelines.
- The discovery underscores the complex and branching nature of human evolution.
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