A group of scientists discovered fossils of an ancient man who lived 6 million years ago

5.8 million year old fossils bring science closer to the origin of man

13/07/2001
Fossil remains found in Ethiopia belong to the period of the split between chimpanzees and humans

From the New York Times

An Ethiopian paleontologist found bones and teeth of forest-dwelling creatures that lived 5.8 million years ago. This discovery challenges the accepted assumptions about evolution and expands the knowledge about the origin of man. These fossils are a million years older than any other fossil defined as a humanoid - a member of the human family, and they are approaching the splitting point in the genealogy of modern humans and chimpanzees.

A group of scientists discovered fossils of an ancient man who lived 6 million years ago

4/12/2000

Photo: IP
The fossils prove that these creatures lived in forests and walked upright

The new find, which was published in the daily edition of "Nature" magazine, particularly intrigues paleontologists because the similarity between the bones of the fossil and monkey bones and the early age of the remains, brings them closer to the historical split of the genealogy, which led on the one hand to modern humans and on the other hand to chimpanzees. Studies of molecular biology show that the split happened 5.5-6.5 million years ago.

Particularly important is the fact that these early hominoids lived in a moist and cool forest, contrary to the prevailing theory, according to which they developed in the steppes after the forests disappeared. The forest was then a hostile environment of erupting volcanoes and dangerous lava flows.

In an article published today, Johannes Haile-Salassi, a PhD student in paleontology from the University of California at Berkeley, writes that the stage of development of the fossil teeth shows that they were indeed hominoids. The bones of the toes show that the creature walked upright, and that it was about the size of a modern chimpanzee. Haile Selassie also said that the primitive characteristics of the bones and teeth show that the creature is paleontologically close to the ancestors of chimpanzees and humans. Other scientists who have examined the findings agree with Haile-Selassi's conclusions.

Dr. Owen Lovejoy, a palaeontologist at the University of Kent, said after examining the findings: "We are indeed approaching a stage in the study of fossils where we cannot distinguish between the ancestors of humans and the ancestors of chimpanzees, because anatomically they were so close. We are now very close to the origin of man."

Haile-Selassi and his colleagues found the fossils in the Awash River Valley in Ethiopia, about 80 km from the whereabouts of "Lucy", who lived 32 years ago and was found 30 years ago. Among the findings are 11 items including a jaw bone with teeth, hand and foot bones and part of a bone The remains belong to at least five individuals.

Scientists from Kenya and France announced today that they discovered fossils of a 6 million year old ancestor. According to them, the discovery of the ancient man known as the "millennium man" can change the way of research and learning about evolution and the study of species. These are the oldest remains found so far.

The initial findings were discovered in the Tugan Hills of Kenya, on October 20, by a joint team of scientists from Paris and museum staff from Kenya. Since then, the scientists managed to discover body parts of 5 people.

"Not only are these the oldest fossils found so far, but they represent an advanced stage in the study of man," said one of the scientists at a press conference. "The ancient human remains that were discovered are 6 million years old, which means that it is a relic older than the fossils that were discovered in Ethiopia in 74, which were 4.5 million years old."

According to the researchers, there are several findings that associate the fossil as a human remains, including the structure of the legs, according to which it is a creature that walked upright. Also, the structure of the jaw and the teeth associate the fossil as a remnant of modern man.

A new human ancestor has been discovered
Paleontologists in Africa found a skull
3.5 million years old which represents, according to them,
A completely new branch of the genealogy
the human This discovery contradicts the opinion
You have gained that one chain goes from the early stages of man to
Today. The genealogy of mankind, which once consisted of one race,
Starting to look more like a bush with many branches that are not connected
Obviously.

News Agency

A new human ancestor has been discovered

Leontologists in Africa found a 3.5 million year old skull that represents, according to them, a completely new branch of the human genealogy. This discovery contradicts the popular opinion that a single chain runs from the early stages of man to the present day. The family tree of humanity, which once consisted of one race, begins to look more like a bush with many branches whose relationship is unclear.

Now it seems that the oldest fossil species called "Australopithecus afarensis", which lived 4-3 million years ago and is mainly associated with the "Lucy" skeleton, was not alone on the African continent. It may even be that Lucy is not a direct ancestor of man. Lucy was discovered in 1974 in Ethiopia and since then she is considered the common ancestor of all the human family that came later, including modern man.

The skull was discovered in 1999 by a research group led by Dr. Mib Leakey, who was working on the western side of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. Only after careful analysis did the scientists agree that the skull represented a new genus and species.
The flat face and small molars are strikingly different from the Afarensis species known to the scientific community. In the news published today (Thursday) in the magazine Nature, Dr. Leakey named the new species "Caninthropus platyops", or - the flat-faced man from Kenya. The age of the skull was determined by volcanic ash discovered at the site and its name has not yet been determined.

"The skull shows in a timely manner that at least two lineages existed 3.5 million years ago," said Dr. Leakey in a statement released on behalf of the National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi, where she serves as the chief paleontologist. She also said that the diversity in the human lineage should not be surprising because that the mammalian origin is often evident in various branches.

Dr. Jan Tattersall, a biologist from the American Museum of Natural History in New York, said that the discovery "is very important because it recognizes the diversity among fossils related to the human family." Until recently, scientists only recognized three groups related to the human family. The "homo" variety evolved before More than 2 million years ago, the species "Pranthropus" was a contemporary of Homo and became extinct about XNUMX million years ago. Both are considered descendants of an earlier species called "Australopithecus".

Photo: IP
Dr. Leakey and the skull. It was discovered in Kenya and its age is estimated at 3.5 million years

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