Mysterious 1.4 million-year-old jaw belongs to a 'never-before seen' human relative - and it could rewrite the entire history of our evolution
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Mysterious 1.4 million-year-old jaw belongs to a 'never-before seen' human relative - and it could rewrite the entire history of our evolution

Daily Mail  

It's time to rewrite the history textbooks, as a distant new member of our ancestral family tree has been discovered. Although not a direct ancestor, we share distant relatives with Paranthropus, which lived in Africa between about one million and 2.7 million years ago. The jawbone and teeth are smaller than other Paranthropus specimens, leading the team to describe this as a new species - Paranthropus capensis There are already three known species in the Paranthropus genus - Paranthropus aethiopicus, Paranthropus boisei and Paranthropus robustus - which lived between about 1 million and 2.7 million years ago. Roughly 2.5 million years ago, the australopithecines are thought to have split into the genus Homo, which produced modern Homo sapiens and the genus Paranthropus that dead-ended. P. capensis likely lived in Africa 1.4 million years ago alongside P. robustus, but the latter likely had a highly specialized diet, as suggested by bigger jaw and teeth.

Africa South Africa Relative Species Million Human Teeth Jaw Modern Humans Homo Paranthropus Boisei Capensis Genus Paranthropus Paranthropus Capensis  seen  relative  human  mysterious  smaller  rewrite  africa  millionyearold  history  thought  capensis  genus  paranthropus  species  evolution  homo  neverbefore  teeth  million  jaw

History of this topic

30 million-year-old skull reveals previously unknown species of apex carnivore
1 month ago

30 million-year-old skull reveals previously unknown species of apex carnivore

CNN  

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. “This skull is important to us, not only because it’s complete and three dimensional, and actually it’s a beautiful one, but also it provides us with new traits to know more about this extinct group of carnivorous animals.” The skull, pictured here with lead study author Shorouq Al-Ashqar, belongs to a previously …

Strange 1.4 million-year-old fossil traced to previously unknown human relative 'nutcracker man’
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Strange 1.4 million-year-old fossil traced to previously unknown human relative 'nutcracker man’

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A 1.4-million-year-old fossil jaw discovered in a South African cave in …

Fossils of saber-toothed predator that gave rise to all mammals discovered
3 months ago

Fossils of saber-toothed predator that gave rise to all mammals discovered

Daily Mail  

Scientists have discovered 280 million-year-old fossil remains of a predator that gave rise to all mammals. The newly discovered fossils — which include fragments of skull, vertebrae, and ribs to a very well-preserved femur — belonged to a vaguely dog-like saber-toothed predator that the researchers believe may be the oldest therapsid ever discovered. Until now, the oldest known gorgonopsians lived …

Remains of massive creature that lived alongside the world's first humans discovered in Iowa
7 months ago

Remains of massive creature that lived alongside the world's first humans discovered in Iowa

Daily Mail  

The remains of a giant creature that roamed Earth alongside the first humans have been unearthed in Iowa. Archaeologists found several bones and massive skull of a 13,600-year-old mastodon buried deep in the mud of a creek bank, marking the state's first well-preserved specimen. Archaeologists in Iowa have unearthed remains of a mastodon that lived in the area more than …

Jawdropping discovery: Remains of extinct human species that died thousands of years ago found in kitchen floor tiles
11 months ago

Jawdropping discovery: Remains of extinct human species that died thousands of years ago found in kitchen floor tiles

Daily Mail  

A dentist caught a huge surprise when he visited his parents' house and spotted a familiar bit of anatomy embedded into the corridor of their newly renovated home. Reddit is rife with fake posts, but multiple experts confirmed to DailyMail.com that this really does appear to be a jawbone, and that it probably belonged to either a modern human or, …

300,000-year-old skull found in China unlike any early human seen before
1 year, 7 months ago

300,000-year-old skull found in China unlike any early human seen before

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. CNN — An ancient skull dating back 300,000 years is unlike any other premodern human fossil ever found, potentially pointing to a new branch in the human family tree, according to new research. Scientists believe the late Middle Pleistocene, which started around 300,000 years ago, was a pivotal period for …

The palaeontologist who fell in love with an ancient Homo heidelbergensis jawbone fossil
2 years ago

The palaeontologist who fell in love with an ancient Homo heidelbergensis jawbone fossil

ABC  

"The first time I met him, I was like, 'Oh, wow, yeah!'" "So it's a very important thing for palaeontology," Dr Eck says. And this mandible is the so-called "holotype" or "type specimen" — the first evidence of this species found, and the example used to describe Homo heidelbergensis. "It's much more robust than our lower jaw," Dr Eck says. …

Our first steps? Fossil may boost case for earliest ancestor
2 years, 6 months ago

Our first steps? Fossil may boost case for earliest ancestor

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Twenty years ago, scientists discovered …

Our first steps? Fossil may boost case for earliest ancestor
2 years, 6 months ago

Our first steps? Fossil may boost case for earliest ancestor

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Twenty years ago, scientists discovered a 7-million-year-old skull that they concluded belonged to a creature who walked upright and was our earliest known ancestor. “This could still also be a fossil ape.” Another researcher at the French university, Roberto Macchiarelli, had previously examined the thighbone and determined the species was probably an ape. Looking at the new …

Researchers identify a new type of early human with no chin and large teeth from around 400,000 years ago
3 years, 8 months ago

Researchers identify a new type of early human with no chin and large teeth from around 400,000 years ago

The Independent  

Researchers in Israel have identified a new type of early human, thought to be the ancestor of Neanderthals, and a missing link in the story of human evolution. “The archaeological finds associated with human fossils show that Nesher Ramla Homo possessed advanced stone tool production technologies and most likely interacted with the local Homo sapiens.” Despite a lack of DNA …

Ancient Humans Might Have Mingled and Mated With the Neanderthals, Researchers Claim
4 years, 1 month ago

Ancient Humans Might Have Mingled and Mated With the Neanderthals, Researchers Claim

News 18  

Understanding human evolution can be a very complex subject, especially given our genus, Homo, which had more than twenty sub-species. Now, a team of researchers claim that we may not have been as distant as previously thought and that these two species might have inter-bred as well. Also known as “Fairies’ cave, the site has been a known habitat for …

This 'Crazy Beast' From Madagascar Was a Weird Early Mammal That Lived Among Dinosaurs
4 years, 3 months ago

This 'Crazy Beast' From Madagascar Was a Weird Early Mammal That Lived Among Dinosaurs

News 18  

Researchers have uncovered the fossil of an early mammal named the “crazy beast” that lived 66 million years ago alongside dinosaurs and giant crocodiles on Madagascar, and it’s unlike any mammal ever known, living or extinct. “Knowing what we know about the skeletal anatomy of all living and extinct mammals, it is difficult to imagine that a mammal like Adalatherium …

Discovery of two-million-year-old skull in South Africa throws new light on human evolution
4 years, 3 months ago

Discovery of two-million-year-old skull in South Africa throws new light on human evolution

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, …

Early adult male skull found in Ethiopia alters understanding of human evolution
5 years, 6 months ago

Early adult male skull found in Ethiopia alters understanding of human evolution

Firstpost  

There was a gap between older human species and the newer ones, this skull bridges that gap. A “remarkably complete” 3.8-million-year-old skull of an early human has been unearthed in Ethiopia, scientists announced Wednesday, a discovery that has the potential to alter our understanding of human evolution. The skull, known as “MRD”, was discovered not far from the younger Lucy …

Scientists discover 11 million-year-old human ancestor fossil in Kutch
6 years, 4 months ago

Scientists discover 11 million-year-old human ancestor fossil in Kutch

India TV News  

Scientists have discovered a fossilised upper jaw of an eleven million-year-old human ancestor in Kutch, Gujarat. The find significantly extends the southern range of ancient apes in the Indian Peninsula, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE. Researchers from Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences in Lucknow, UP, examined an ape jaw fragment excavated from the Kutch basin, …

Neanderthals attempted dentistry 130,000 years ago, believe scientists
7 years, 8 months ago

Neanderthals attempted dentistry 130,000 years ago, believe scientists

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Neanderthal who lived 130,000 …

Humanity evolved from wriggling sea creatures with large mouth and no anus
8 years, 1 month ago

Humanity evolved from wriggling sea creatures with large mouth and no anus

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Humankind evolved from a bag-like sea creature that had a large …

Researchers reveal 2.5-million-year-old teeth of our ancestors suggest they ate GRASS
8 years, 4 months ago

Researchers reveal 2.5-million-year-old teeth of our ancestors suggest they ate GRASS

Daily Mail  

While we may enjoy a wide and varied diet, our ancient relatives may have preferred to stick to grass. Wear patterns on the fossil teeth from early East African hominids suggest that they may have eaten softer food than previously thought, according to new research. Wear patterns on the fossil teeth from East African hominims, including the Paranthropus boisei, suggest …

Fossils suggest early humans ventured east 3.5 million years ago
8 years, 11 months ago

Fossils suggest early humans ventured east 3.5 million years ago

Daily Mail  

Australopithecus afarensis was one of the longest-lived and best known early human species that originated in Africa. So far, all other A. afarensis fossils had been identified from the centre of the Rift Valley, shown on map THE COMPLEX EVOLUTION OF MAN 55 million years ago - First primitive primates evolve 15 million years ago - Hominidae evolve from the …

50k-year-old Siberian skull may belong to a Neanderthal or Denisovan
9 years, 7 months ago

50k-year-old Siberian skull may belong to a Neanderthal or Denisovan

Daily Mail  

Ancient human remains from a Siberian cave dating back 50,000 years or more could provide a missing link in understanding how modern humans evolved. Professor Andrey Krivoshapkin, head of Archaeology and Ethnography at Novosibirsk State University, said he believes the skull fragments may belong to a Neanderthal or another extinct species of human that lived in Asia known as the …

Ethiopia remains put new species on human family tree
9 years, 9 months ago

Ethiopia remains put new species on human family tree

CNN  

Story highlights Researchers say they have found teeth and jawbones belonging to a new species of human ancestor The remains, dating back 3.3 million to 3.5 million years, were found in Ethiopia's Afar desert region CNN — Meet Australopithecus deyiremeda, a newly discovered species of hominin that sheds light on our earliest ancestors, scientists say. The name, Australopithecus deyiremeda, derives …

Jawbone of 'first man' goes on display: 2.8 million-year-old human ancestor fossil is unveiled in Arizona
10 years ago

Jawbone of 'first man' goes on display: 2.8 million-year-old human ancestor fossil is unveiled in Arizona

Daily Mail  

A momentous and valuable piece of our evolutionary history has gone on display to the public. They had brains no larger than a chimpanzee's 2.8 million years ago - LD 350-1 appeared and may be the first of the Homo family 2.7 million years ago - Paranthropus, lived in woods and had massive jaws for chewing 2.3 million years ago …

Skull ‘reveals new human ancestor’
14 years, 10 months ago

Skull ‘reveals new human ancestor’

The Hindu  

Scientists claim to have discovered a new branch of the human family tree -- a species that was light, short, and fond of chewy plants. An international team, led by the University of New South Wales in Australia, has identified and named the species Homo gautengensis, which is said to be the earliest recognised species of Homo. Dating of the …

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