Egypt fossil hints northern Africa as cradle of ape origins
Researchers describe Masripithecus moghraensis, a newly identified fossil ape from northern Egypt dating to about 17–18 million years ago, as a close stem hominoid to the lineage that gave rise to all living apes. Using Bayesian tip-dating, the find suggests northern Afro-Arabia could be a cradle for ape origins and underscores the role of Afro-Arabia as a Miocene biogeographic crossroads, challenging the East Africa–centered view while acknowledging gaps in Africa’s fossil record.