Morocco fossils push back the timeline on human origins

TwitterFacebook

Fossilized remains found in Morocco might belong to our 300,000-year-old ancestors.

The skulls and bones could represent the earliest known fossils of Homo sapiens, the human species to which we all belong, scientists said in two new studies published Wednesday.

If true, the findings would mean that our species originated at least 100,000 years earlier than previously thought. The results could also bring more clarity to our still-fuzzy understanding of how, where, and when humans evolved in Africa.

SEE ALSO: 7-million-year-old teeth add new layer to human origin story

Until now, the earliest fossil attributed to a modern form of H. sapiens was about 195,000 years old and came from Ethiopia. Many anthropologists believe that all living humans descended from a population living in East Africa around that time, and that our modern human biology appeared relatively rapidly.  Read more…

More about Science, Africa, Morocco, Fossils, and Archeology

Comments are closed.

Post Navigation