Ancient human ancestors of two distinct types coexisted in the same location, potentially including an unidentified species.
In a groundbreaking discovery, a team of researchers has uncovered evidence suggesting that early humans and a previously unknown species of Australopithecus lived together in the same region approximately 2.6 to 2.8 million years ago. This finding, published in the journal Nature, challenges the traditional linear view of human evolution.
The fossilized teeth discovered in northeastern Ethiopia belong to both the genus Homo, which includes modern humans, and Australopithecus, an ancient human relative. Ten teeth were attributed to a new Australopithecus species, while three other teeth were identified as belonging to the oldest-known Homo species, all found in Ethiopia's Afar Region within the Ledi-Geraru project area.
This newly identified Australopithecus species appears distinct from the famous Australopithecus afarensis (Lucy’s species), suggesting A. afarensis was likely extinct by around 2.95 million years ago before the appearance of this new species and early Homo. The presence of both Homo and Australopithecus teeth from overlapping time periods contradicts the former belief that Homo only appeared after Australopithecus went extinct.
The Afar Region during this time was dominated by a dry season, but interrupted by a brief wet season. Rivers existed for only part of the year, with few trees growing near the river and the environment being largely wetlands and grasslands. This more seasonal environment could have supported diverse hominin species simultaneously.
Coauthor Kaye Reed emphasized that human evolution should be viewed as a "bushy tree" with branching and overlapping lineages rather than a simple, linear progression. While this evidence is compelling and reshapes the understanding of early human evolution, some experts remain cautious. Researchers like Martínez de Pinillos and Hlusko note that isolated fossil teeth can be difficult to assign definitively to new species because of natural variation within species and gradual evolutionary changes.
Future findings are hoped to provide more answers about the coexistence of Homo and Australopithecus. This discovery not only provides insight into a previously mysterious period in human evolutionary studies but also offers a new glimpse into the complex web of human evolution.
- The science news about the groundbreaking discovery in Ethiopia, involving two species from the genus Homo and Australopithecus, is offering unique insights into the complex web of human evolution in education-and-self-development.
- Space-and-astronomy might seem unrelated, but the understanding of early human evolution, as revealed in this discovery, sheds light on the diverse adaptation capabilities of hominins, potentially paralleling the various forms life can take under different space conditions.
