Million Year Old Skull

A digital reconstruction of a million-year-old skull could rewrite the human evolution timeline. That’s because, according to one study, the reconstruction suggests that humans may have diverged from our ancient ancestor 400,000 years earlier than thought. And that it happened in Asia, not Africa. The crushed skull was discovered in China in 1990. Labelled Yunxian 2, the skull was originally thought to belong to Homo erectus, a human forerunner.

The reconstruction revealed features closer to a species thought to exist later in human evolution. It bore similarities to Homo longi and Homo sapiens. However, the findings are likely to be disputed.

If true, then 1 million years ago, our ancestors had already split into distinct groups. The researchers tested their procedures again and again and are now confident about the result. If they are correct, there were much earlier members of various hominins, including Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.

It also upends the assumption that early humans dispersed from Africa. It appears that east Asia may play a key role in hominin evolution.

The research used advanced CT scanning, structure light imaging, and virtual reconstruction techniques. The results were printed on a 3D printer. The researchers relied on another similar skull to shape their model, then compared it to more than 100 other specimens. The results show a combination of traits, some of which resembled Homo erectus. But its larger brain capacity is reminiscent of Homo longi and Homo sapiens.

Some scientists not associated with the study are skeptical of the stated results, for various reasons. Others say the conclusions were plausible, but more evidence was needed.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/million-year-old-skull-could-rewrite-human-evolution-timeline/ar-AA1Nn6Am?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=68e54e7fa73a4dc2b7bc8fbc2031cc2a&ei=56