Articles tagged with Hominids
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Researchers assign a hominin foot fossil from Lucy's time to a different species, providing evidence that two ancient human ancestors coexisted in the same region. The Burtele foot belongs to A. deyiremeda, which retained an opposable big toe for climbing but likely pushed off with its second digit on two legs.
The study of Neanderthal footprints offers a unique window into everyday behaviour, providing insight into their physical presence, locomotion strategies, diet and social structure. The research suggests that Neanderthals were more versatile and ecologically adapted to coastal environments than previously believed.
A recent study published in Nature has assigned a facial fragment, nicknamed 'Pink', to the species Homo aff. erectus, challenging the long-held view of early European human habitation. The discovery at Sima del Elefante sheds new light on the history of Western Europe's first inhabitants.
A groundbreaking study by Bar-Ilan University reveals that ancient hunter-gatherers relied heavily on plant foods, particularly starchy plants, for energy. The findings contradict the prevailing narrative of animal protein-based diets and offer new insights into early human processing methods and social behaviors.
The study places human remains found in Orce, Spain as the oldest in Europe, dating back to approximately 1.3 million years ago. The analysis of paleomagnetism and fauna found at the site suggests that humans arrived in Europe through the Strait of Gibraltar, contradicting the previous theory of returning via the Asian route.
A new species of great ape, Buronius manfredschmidi, has been identified from the Hammerschmiede fossil site in Bavaria, Germany. The species is estimated to have weighed around 10kg and had a distinct lifestyle from the larger-bodied Danuvius, allowing for cohabitation without resource competition.
Genetic analysis of bone fragments at the Ranis site in Germany confirms that modern humans reached Northwestern Europe 45,000 years ago, overlapping with Neanderthals. The findings suggest that the invasion of Europe by modern humans helped drive Neanderthals to extinction.
Neanderthals demonstrated intelligence and symbolic thought through their ability to control fire and cook food. Their varied diet consisted of cooked meats, fish, and other food sources, showcasing their advanced cognitive abilities.
A study by Dartmouth researchers reveals that human shoulders and elbows evolved to facilitate 'downclimbing' - the process of descending from trees without dying. This adaptation allowed early humans to navigate their environment safely, gathering food and deploying tools for hunting and defense.
The new Radiocarbon 3.0 method provides valuable new insights into the earliest human history, starting with the interaction between Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals in Europe. This is achieved through updated radiocarbon pretreatment, latest AMS instrumental advances, and the application of the Bayesian model coupled with the new IntCal20.
The discovery of stone tools and cut-marked animal bones at the Nyayanga site in Kenya offers new insights into the dawn of stone technology. The artifacts, dating back 2.9 million years, include hammerstones, cores, and flakes, which were used to process a wide range of materials and foods.
Paleontologists at the University of Malaga have found that humans uniquely combine increased brain size with a juvenile cranial shape. The analysis of four new hominid fossils and modern great ape samples shows changes in cranial development, including a negative growth of the neurocranium and a positive growth of the splanchnocranium.
Researchers assessed facial structure of prehistoric skulls to determine extent of interbreeding between humans and Neandertals. The study found that the Near East was an important crossroads for human migration and interaction, supporting the hypothesis that much of this interbreeding took place in the region.
A team of archaeologists led by Paola Villa has uncovered an unprecedented array of bone tools crafted from elephant bones at the Castel di Guido site in Italy, dating back to around 400,000 years ago. The discovery reveals a high level of cognitive intellect and technological sophistication among early humans during this period.
Researchers have formulated a facial soft tissue thickness dataset for adult chimpanzees, providing a foundation for reconstructing the faces of ancient hominids. The dataset and regression equations will help reduce variability in reconstructions, offering a more accurate representation of our human ancestors.
The study explores inner ear morphology to understand hominid evolution and relationships among apes, monkeys, and humans. Volumetric proportions of semicircular canals in extinct apes resemble those of extant great apes and humans.
Chimpanzee cortisol levels increase with age, blunting natural diurnal rhythm and responding to stressors similarly to humans. Sex differences also emerge, with males exhibiting higher levels than females, particularly when exposed to attractive females.
Scientists discovered more evidence of archaic introgression in immunity-related genes and found a possible resistance to malaria among Papua New Guineans. They also identified genes related to porphyrins, energy metabolism, and olfactory receptors showing signals of Neandertal introgression.
Researchers from IBE and Globe Institute rebuilt proteins from a 2-million-year-old fossil, clarifying the evolutionary history of hominids. The technique has shed light on the ancient DNA techniques' limitations, allowing for clearer understanding of human and great ape lineage.
Researchers discovered that mice lacking a key gene, CMAH, can run stronger and longer with less fatigue. This gene loss may have contributed to humanity's ability to run long distances relatively tirelessly.
Researchers found that human neurochemical profiles are consistent with enhanced sensitivity to social cues, promoting monogamy and reducing within-group aggression. Elevated serotonin and neuropeptide Y levels may have encouraged male provisioning, while a dopamine-dominated striatum could have led to increased brain size and language.
A new technique developed by an international team has enabled the extraction of DNA from hominids preserved in sediments, allowing researchers to determine which species occupied a site and its diet. The method analyzed fragments of mitochondrial DNA from 85 samples of Pleistocene sediments from eight Eurasian caves.
The study provides an expanded framework for researchers to study human origins, drawing upon extensive DNA sampling from modern and archaic hominid populations. It suggests a major eastern-western population split once modern humans left Africa, dating back to at least 45,000 years ago.
New fossils from Kenya reveal Australopithecus afarensis lived beyond Great Rift Valley and farther than previously thought. The discovery sheds light on the species' adaptability and distribution range.
Researchers describe a new genus and species, Pliobates cataloniae, with characteristics similar to extant hominoids, overturning previous theories on gibbon origins. The fossil find provides clues about the origin of extant gibbons and their evolutionary relationships.
A newly discovered extinct ape species, Pliobates cataloniae, roamed Earth 11.6 million years ago, providing a missing chapter to the beginning of ape and human history. The fossil discovery forces researchers to reconsider the role of small apes in hominoid evolution.
Researchers have dated the Little Foot skeleton to 3.67 million years old, while Oldowan artefacts are approximately 2 million years old. This new evidence sheds light on the age of key hominid and palaeontological discoveries at Sterkfontein Caves.
The Paleolithic diet is unlikely to be a single entity due to variations in early human diets across time and space. Early humans were likely dietary 'jacks-of-all-trades' with diverse eating habits influenced by environments and lifestyle.
Recent research on early hominid diets highlights the limitations of using modern technologies alone to understand their eating habits. A holistic approach is needed, considering factors such as habitat, anatomy, and cognitive abilities. This interdisciplinary method can provide a more accurate picture of our ancestors' diets.
A new study by the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that some hominids added grasses or sedges to their diets around 3.5 million years ago, marking a significant change in their survival and evolution. This shift likely contributed to the emergence of human-like species.
A University of Missouri expert analyzed the pelvis fragments of an early hominid fossil, revealing insights into the evolution of modern great apes. The study suggests that the ape's wider pelvis indicates greater lateral balance and stability, while its distinct finger bones indicate a different evolutionary path than initially thought.
A special journal edition published by the University of Witwatersrand and the Palaeontological Scientific Trust (PAST) reveals groundbreaking findings on Homo habilis and its ecological pressures. The research, conducted over two decades at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, sheds new light on human evolution and technological development.
Researchers analyzed fossilized teeth to reveal that A. sediba ate harder foods like trees and bushes, unlike most other hominids who focused on grasses and sedges. This diet was confirmed by analysis of microscopic particles trapped in tooth tarter, suggesting the individuals avoided open grasslands.
Researchers using new high-tech tools are rethinking early hominid diets, finding grasses and sedges as a primary food source for some species. This discovery forces anthropologists to reassess their understanding of ancient human ancestors.
Researchers analyzed a 2-million-year-old skull from Sediba, suggesting a more 'mosaic' pattern of human brain evolution. The brain was found to be primitive but with early glimmers of reorganization towards a human pattern.
A new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder found that female hominids preferred to move away from their residential groups, suggesting a dispersal pattern similar to modern humans and some primates. The team used high-tech analysis of strontium isotope ratios in tooth enamel to identify specific areas of landscape use.
Researchers analyze carbon isotope ratios in fossil teeth to reveal Paranthropus boisei's diet was 77% C4 plants, similar to grazing animals like warthogs and hippos. The findings contradict the common view of the hominid feeding on nuts and seeds.
A new study found that Paranthropus boisei, a 1-million-year-old hominid, had a diet of 77% grasses and sedges, contradicting the long-held assumption of a nut-based diet. The analysis of carbon isotopes in fossil teeth revealed a preference for C4 grasses and sedges.
Researchers announce the discovery of a 3.6 million-year-old partial skeleton, nicknamed 'Kadanuumuu', which is almost as proficient in walking on two legs as modern humans. The finding confirms advanced human-like walking occurred much earlier than previously thought.
An international team of scientists has described a new fossil find and the new species Australopithecus sediba, thought to be at least 2 million years old. The fossils are exceptionally well preserved, revealing unique insight into the period when the earliest members of the genus Homo evolved.
A newly discovered hominid species, Australopithecus sediba, has revealed a bone structure similar to the earliest Homo species but employed it more like Australopithecus. The fossils, dated between 1.95 and 1.78 million years old, provide a wealth of information about human origins.
Researchers unveil fossil skeleton 'Ardi,' a 4.4 million-year-old hominid species that changes our understanding of human evolution. Led by Dr. C. Owen Lovejoy, the team presents groundbreaking findings in 11 papers published in Science.
The team's analysis reveals a unique hominid skeleton with well-preserved pelvic and foot bones, providing insights into Ardi's locomotion and brain size. The discovery sheds new light on human ancestry, challenging previous assumptions about early human relatives.
The discovery of Ardipithecus ramidus, a 4.4 million-year-old hominid species from Ethiopia, revolutionizes our understanding of early human evolution. The fossils, including the partial skeleton named 'Ardi', show a mix of primitive and derived traits, challenging current models of human-chimpanzee evolution.
The discovery of Ardipithecus ramidus provides new information on human evolution, suggesting that humans did not evolve from apes but rather that apes evolved from humans. The 4.4 million-year-old skeleton is more informative than the famous 'Lucy' fossil and sheds light on human behavior and anatomy.
The 4.4 million-year-old skeleton of Ardipithecus ramidus challenges previous understanding of early human evolution, showing the earliest hominids were bipedal but not as agile in trees as chimpanzees. The discovery also suggests a more amicable relationship among males, with potential for pair-bonded couples and shared food gathering.
The study provides the first comprehensive description of Ardipithecus ramidus, revealing a mix of primitive and derived traits. The findings suggest that early hominids lived in woodland environments, climbed on all fours along tree branches, and walked upright on two legs.
Researchers analyze dental wear of herbivorous animals hunted by Homo heidelbergensis to determine vegetation and way of life. The study confirms differing mobility patterns among hominid groups, with some sites showing high and low occupation periods.
A new genus of hominoid primate, Anoiapithecus brevirostris, has been identified at a site in Spain. The fossil exhibits primitive and derived traits characteristic of great apes, shedding light on the origin of the Hominidae family.
The Ileret footprints, found in Kenya, display human-like arch and short toes associated with an upright bipedal stance. The prints are attributed to Homo ergaster or early Homo erectus, a hominid with body proportions similar to modern humans.
Researchers are using stable isotope analysis to reconstruct the past lives of hominids, revealing their diets and environments. The study of Paranthropus robustus suggests a diverse diet that includes hard foods like nuts, as well as sedges, grasses, seeds, and possibly animal foods.
The discovery of a 1.2 million-year-old female Homo erectus pelvis in Ethiopia provides new insights into the evolution of human brain size. The reconstructed pelvis suggests that early humans were better equipped to produce larger-brained babies, challenging previous theories based on male skeletons.
Researchers have discovered that chimpanzees in a savanna environment use bark and stick tools to exploit underground food resources, challenging the notion that this behavior is uniquely human. This finding supports the idea that chimpanzees can serve as models for understanding early human behaviors and adaptations.
A team of scientists reports that chimpanzees in Tanzania are using digging tools to gather underground foods, suggesting that this ability may have been present in early human ancestors. The study provides insights into the role of dietary shifts in hominid evolution and challenges current hypotheses.
A recent study of chimpanzees in western Tanzania suggests that early humans may have dug potato-like foods with tools, challenging the long-held assumption that meat was more important for brain evolution. The research found that chimps only dig for roots during the rainy season, when other food sources are abundant.
Low birth numbers in early hominids combined with intense competition led to their extinction. Dr. Nina G. Jablonski reveals that environmental changes, such as shifting climate patterns, played a significant role in the demise of these ancient human ancestors.
A recent University of Colorado at Boulder study reveals that Paranthropus robustus had a diverse diet including fruits, nuts, sedges, and possibly animals, casting doubt on the idea that its extinction was linked to its eating habits. The findings suggest alternative explanations for the species' demise.
The bones of the 'Hobbit' were found to be inconsistent with evolutionary theory. Microcephaly, or small brain size, is now considered a plausible explanation for the discovery.
The discovery of Au. anamensis fossils in Ethiopia bridges the 1-million-year gap between Ardipithecus and Australopithecus, two species previously thought to be distinct. The new findings provide insight into the evolutionary history of human ancestors, revealing a more complex and nuanced timeline.
Researchers have re-dated the Omo hominids fossils to approximately 196,000 years old, nearly 40,000 years older than previously thought. The discovery provides new insights into early human evolution and migration patterns.