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Palaeontology

Oldest human species found

By T.K. Randall
May 29, 2010 · Comment icon 14 comments

Image Credit: Wikipedia
Fossil fragments have been found of Homo gautengensis, the oldest known genus of the human species.
Thought to have been a small tree-dwelling relative of modern humans the find consists of skull fragments discovered in the Sterkfontein caves of South Africa and date back between 800,000 and 2 million years.
There's a good chance it was a tiny little cannibalistic tree swinger, but the newly identified Homo gautengensis is family, according to a new study. Thought to have used tools—and possibly fire—the creature is the oldest named species in the human genus, Homo, study author Darren Curnoe says.


Source: National Geographic | Comments (14)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #5 Posted by Father Of Evolution 15 years ago
Hmmm.. some 2 mil - 800thou? Its the end of the line for you H.Habilis someone(something lol) took your place
Comment icon #6 Posted by Paracelse 15 years ago
Interesting, if you further read down the article though their are many doubts that this creature is even related to us at all, at least directly some even think it to be an older primative ape version and not human at all..though it is interesting to see all these species arise near the same time..yet we as a species today are pretty much the 'one and only' compared to how much similar they were back then...besides our primate friends with us today. Em, I'll like to see how the next few years what else will be discovered and pondered upon. You are absolutely right, it would be interesting to ... [More]
Comment icon #7 Posted by Copasetic 15 years ago
i wonder if they have a build up of ancient species fossils..set to release 2 every year ..id love to see some scientist PROVE we evolved from anything before they start calling these our ancestors We don't "prove" things in science, we evidence them. We 'proof' things in mathematics. The vast bodies of evidence, be they genomic, molecular/protein, morphological or fossil, all support that all (including humans) have evolved via common ancestry--In particular from one common universal ancestor.
Comment icon #8 Posted by Copasetic 15 years ago
You are absolutely right, it would be interesting to study the radiation level of the time to find about any possibilities of mutation. According to Lamark (Darwin's predecessor) evolution arise from needs but radiation weren't found in his time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamark Radiation has existed since the beginning of the universe, including in Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de la Marck's (Lamarck) day. Mutations arise through a number of processes, probably the least important of which (for evolution) is via ionizing radiation.
Comment icon #9 Posted by drunkinpower 15 years ago
I'm not sure what the hell you need to get a PHD in Archaeology, Anthropology or even just a major - 800,000 - 2 million years old seems like a pretty large gape to me. My statement is: we will never know when or how we got here, however for those of you who have a religious preference you know already and that statement does not apply to you. My Question is: Does it really matter how we got here? Seriously, I used to think about it when I was a child then I had Sex Education in Jr. High and figured it out. To be honest, I'd rather not know how we got here because if Adam and Eve were the firs... [More]
Comment icon #10 Posted by Paracelse 15 years ago
Radiation has existed since the beginning of the universe, including in Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de la Marck's (Lamarck) day. Mutations arise through a number of processes, probably the least important of which (for evolution) is via ionizing radiation. I knew they existed, what I meant was Lamarck didn't know about them..
Comment icon #11 Posted by Paracelse 15 years ago
I'm not sure what the hell you need to get a PHD in Archaeology, Anthropology or even just a major - 800,000 - 2 million years old seems like a pretty large gape to me. My statement is: we will never know when or how we got here, however for those of you who have a religious preference you know already and that statement does not apply to you. My Question is: Does it really matter how we got here? Seriously, I used to think about it when I was a child then I had Sex Education in Jr. High and figured it out. To be honest, I'd rather not know how we got here because if Adam and Eve were the firs... [More]
Comment icon #12 Posted by J.B. 15 years ago
Evidence of tool use a human ancestor does not make. Chimps use tools too, and I'm sure if we weren't afraid of forest fires, we'd teach them to use fire too.
Comment icon #13 Posted by Copasetic 15 years ago
I have no idea how some people can still be convinced history started around 4004 BCE. I mean who would have painted Lascaux? Who would have built that site in Turkey Göbekli Tepe.. and so many other place around the world??? Small gods bound by limitations of old books and unimaginative minds do funny things to people
Comment icon #14 Posted by J.B. 15 years ago
Denial is not a river in Egypt. Some people literally live off the books of faith, cause they need to. We'll not make fun of them, just let them be and surpass them. There's too much speculation to call this a human ancestor yet.


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