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Paleoanthropology

All articles tagged with #paleoanthropology

Hominin Taxonomy Reimagined: Australopithecus and Paranthropus Could Join Homo
science9 days ago

Hominin Taxonomy Reimagined: Australopithecus and Paranthropus Could Join Homo

Dr. Ian Towle proposes folding Australopithecus and Paranthropus into Homo to better reflect shared ancestry and gene flow, arguing that brain size, tool use, and other traits no longer reliably separate genera; citing non-monophyly in Australopithecus and interbreeding among close relatives, he suggests expanding Homo back to about 4–5 million years ago (anchored at A. anamensis) and redefining Hominini and Hominina; the paper is published in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology.

via Sci.News|
#australopithecus#homo#paleoanthropology
Human Origins Reframed as a Continental Genetic Network
science4 months ago

Human Origins Reframed as a Continental Genetic Network

A Nature study shows modern humans likely arose from a network of intermingling African populations rather than a single ancestral group. By analyzing genomes from southern, eastern, and western Africa (including 44 Nama genomes), researchers found the earliest detectable split occurred about 120,000–135,000 years ago, with long, ongoing gene flow among weakly differentiated groups—forming a 'weakly structured stem' rather than a clean family tree. This view alters how fossils are interpreted and is supported by subsequent research highlighting deep African diversity.

via Science Daily|
#africa#ancient-dna#gene-flow
Bear Bones Recast Japan’s Ancient Past, Debunking Ushikawa Man
science4 months ago

Bear Bones Recast Japan’s Ancient Past, Debunking Ushikawa Man

New CT scans show the Ushikawa bones thought to be ancient humans are actually brown bear remains, pushing Japan’s oldest mainland human fossils to about 14,000–17,000 years ago (with Ryukyu Islands finds possibly around 32,000 years). The study, published in Anthropological Science and led by Tokyo researchers, demonstrates how modern imaging can correct past misidentifications and reshape our view of Japan’s prehistoric timeline.

via The Daily Galaxy|
#brown-bear#ct-scanning#japan-prehistory
Neanderthal Toddlers Grew Up Faster, Hinting at Harsh-Environment Adaptations
archaeology4 months ago

Neanderthal Toddlers Grew Up Faster, Hinting at Harsh-Environment Adaptations

A 2026 study of Amud 7, a Neanderthal infant from Amud Cave in Israel, finds Neanderthal toddlers grew faster in early childhood than modern humans, suggesting an adaptive strategy to harsh environments; growth trajectories diverged from Homo sapiens in infancy but aligned more closely later in childhood, highlighting different evolutionary paths since the split ~600,000 years ago; more non-adult Neanderthal skeletons are needed to determine how widespread this pattern was.

via Live Science|
#amud-cave#archaeology#growth-trajectories
430,000-Year-Old Wooden Tools Redefine Early Human Tech in Greece
science4 months ago

430,000-Year-Old Wooden Tools Redefine Early Human Tech in Greece

Researchers analyzing wood remains from the Marathousa 1 site in central Greece report two wooden fragments dating to about 430,000 years ago that show shaping and wear consistent with human use (one alder digging/bark-stripping tool; another willow or poplar fragment). A third alder piece bears carnivore marks, not human modification. Together with stone tools and butchered animals at the lakeside site, the find constitutes the oldest known hand-held wooden tools and pushes back the timeline for wooden tool use by at least 40,000 years, highlighting early plant-based technology during the Middle Pleistocene and suggesting fierce competition with large carnivores.

via SciTechDaily|
#archaeology#early-humans#marathousa-1
Ancient Face, Connected Africa: Little Foot’s Reconstruction Rewrites Hominin History
science5 months ago

Ancient Face, Connected Africa: Little Foot’s Reconstruction Rewrites Hominin History

Scientists digitally rebuilt the distorted face of Little Foot, a 3.67‑million‑year‑old Australopithecus from South Africa, using high‑resolution scans. The resulting features show Little Foot’s face resembles East African fossils more than a younger South African counterpart, suggesting Africa was a connected evolutionary landscape and facial evolution 4–3 million years ago may have been more complex than regional models imply. The study highlights orbital (eye region) evolution and notes the face is only part of the story, with other skull parts still deformed and awaiting digital reconstruction.

via Earth.com|
#africa#australopithecus#facial-reconstruction
Outsiders Targeted: Neanderthals’ 41,000-Year-Old Cannibalism at Goyet, Belgium
science6 months ago

Outsiders Targeted: Neanderthals’ 41,000-Year-Old Cannibalism at Goyet, Belgium

A decade-long study of Neanderthal bones from Belgium’s Troisième caverne de Goyet reveals selective cannibalism of outsiders, including adult women and children, dating to about 41,000–45,000 years ago. Cut marks and bone processing resemble those used on animal remains, suggesting food consumption rather than ritual activity. Genetic analyses indicate the individuals were outsiders to the local group, pointing to intergroup conflict during a time of Neanderthal decline and Homo sapiens’s increasing presence in the region.

via SciTechDaily|
#belgium#cannibalism#goyet
Greek Skull Rewritten: A 300,000-Year-Old Relic Belongs to Homo Heidelbergensis
science6 months ago

Greek Skull Rewritten: A 300,000-Year-Old Relic Belongs to Homo Heidelbergensis

A 300,000-year-old skull found cemented in a Greek cave (the Petralona cranium) has been dated to at least 286,000 years old via uranium-series dating of the surrounding calcite, placing it with Homo heidelbergensis rather than Homo sapiens or Neanderthals. This suggests a widespread Middle Pleistocene population in Europe that coexisted with Neanderthals for over 100,000 years. No DNA can be recovered due to the long warm history of the fossil, and the find adds complexity to how scientists categorize early human relatives.

via The Daily Galaxy|
#homo-heidelbergensis#neanderthals-coexistence#paleoanthropology