Footprints in Kenya ‘show distant relatives of modern humans coexisted’

[Claira]

About 1.5m years ago a big-toothed cousin of prehistoric humans walked quickly along a lakeside in Kenya, footprints marking the muddy ground. But they were not our only distant relative on the scene: treading the same ground was the early human Homo erectus.

Researchers say an analysis of fossilised footprints discovered in deposits of the Turkana Basin, northern Kenya, suggest the marks were made by two different species on the human family tree who were in the same place within hours or days of each other.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/nov/28/footprints-in-kenya-show-distant-relatives-of-modern-humans-coexisted

[Piney]

This is actually "old news". We ran around and had introgression events with several other species of Homo.

[Claira]

6 minutes ago, Piney said:

This is actually "old news". We ran around and had introgression events with several other species of Homo.

Old news in that we're aware that lineages existed contemporaneously, but the report regarding the fossilized footprint findings in Kenya is new news, having been released just yesterday. I know what you meant in your post, but am clarifying in case other members think you're referring to the current findings presented above.

 

[Piney]

12 minutes ago, Claira said:

Old news in that we're aware that lineages existed contemporaneously, but the report regarding the fossilized footprint findings in Kenya is new news, having been released just yesterday. I know what you meant in your post, but am clarifying in case other members think you're referring to the current findings presented above.

 

Thanks!

Autism takes clarification. 😆

[Guyver]

Interesting find and article.

[Kenemet]

I looked it up... while erectus is indeed in our direct linage, Paranthropus boisei is a "cousin (several times removed)" when the lineage diverged into Australopithecus and Paranthropus.

See diagram in this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranthropus

[jethrofloyd]

On 11/29/2024 at 12:43 PM, Piney said:

This is actually "old news". 

I remember 2-3 years ago there was a similar news here at UM when a some old prehistoric traces were found at the slopas of an volcano.

[Piney]

22 minutes ago, jethrofloyd said:

I remember 2-3 years ago there was a similar news here at UM when a some old prehistoric traces were found at the slopas of an volcano.

They were Australopithecus stomping through volcanic ash.

National Geographic has a online archived article about it that might be free. 

[Piney]

16 hours ago, Kenemet said:

I looked it up... while erectus is indeed in our direct linage, Paranthropus boisei is a "cousin (several times removed)" when the lineage diverged into Australopithecus and Paranthropus.

See diagram in this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranthropus

Paranthropus.......extinct because of veganism. 😆