Our family tree just got another strange branch
Print Edition
The human family tree has acquired a new branch with the unearthing of a previously unknown species of human that lived on an island in today鈥檚 Philippines about 50,000 years ago.
The species, dubbed Homo luzonensis after the island of Luzon where its remains were found, is not a direct ancestor of modern-day humans, but rather a distant ancient relative.
The discovery, published in the journal Nature yesterday, adds to a growing body of evidence that human evolution is not as linear as was once thought. It also raises questions, including how the species arrived on the island and who its ancestors were.
The 鈥渞emarkable discovery ... will no doubt ignite plenty of scientific debate over the coming weeks, months and years,鈥 said Matthew Tocheri, associate professor of anthropology at Canada鈥檚 Lakehead University.
The researchers from France, the Philippines and Australia found the remains in the Callo Cave, where a bone dating back 67,000 years was discovered in 2007.
It was not initially clear which type of early human that bone came from, but more recently the researchers discovered seven teeth and five different bones at the site, dating back between 50,000 and 67,000 years.
With more evidence to examine, from at least three individuals, they were able to build the case that the remains came from a previously unknown type of human.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
