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Newly discovered fossils in Ethiopia have revealed a previously unknown humanlike relative, challenging our current understanding of the early human evolution timeline.
The astonishing discovery was made by a team of researchers at Arizona State University, who unearthed a set of fossilized teeth belonging to two individuals. The incredible find has sparked significant interest and debate among paleontologists and evolutionary scientists around the world.
According to the study published in Nature, the newly discovered species is part of the Australopithecus genus, which is known for its human- and ape-like traits. However, it is distinct enough from other identified species within this genus that it warrants a separate classification.
The incredible find was made at the Ledi-Geraru research project area in Ethiopia, a location where several hominin fossils have been previously discovered. The researchers were astonished to discover teeth dating back an astonishing 2.6 to 2.8 million years ago, which is roughly around the time when the earliest human ancestors, Homo species, emerged.
The revelation raises significant questions about the coexistence of multiple early human-like lineages during this period. According to Kaye Reed, a paleoecologist at Arizona State University, “evolution doesn’t work like that.” The team’s findings indicate that there may have been up to four different hominin species present in East Africa between 2.5 and 3.0 million years ago.
The researchers are now eager to uncover more fossils from the newly discovered species to officially give it a name, but for now, they have dubbed it Ledi-Geraru Australopithecus.
Source: gizmodo.com
