Latest news with #Paranthropusboisei
Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Science
- Boston Globe
In ancient teeth, clues of human evolution — and perhaps a new species
A close examination of 13 teeth discovered in the Ledi-Geraru research area, ranging from 2.6 million to 2.8 million years old, adds new fragments of evidence to the increasingly complex story of human origins and potentially reveals an entirely new species, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Nature. Advertisement Human evolution has long been visualized as a simple linear timeline, a kind of evolutionary baton race in which one species evolves into another, from apes to modern humans. The new finds reinforced that human evolution was more of a tangled-up bush. Different species and different branches of the hominin family tree overlapped with one another in time and space. Three smaller teeth, the researchers report, were from the group that modern humans belong to, Homo, and dated to 2.6 million and 2.8 million years ago. They were found at Ledi-Geraru in 2015 and 2018. The larger teeth were relatives of Lucy — an Australopithecus whose famed fossil find in Ethiopia 50 years ago changed the modern understanding of human origins. Already, outside researchers are debating next steps and whether they agree that the teeth found by Reed's team represent a new species of Australopithecus. The study was supported by the National Science Foundation. Because of the uncertainties around federal funding, Reed isn't yet sure if the next year of grant funding will come through. Advertisement 'We don't have all the pieces of the puzzle,' Reed said. 'What's exciting to us is you want more pieces of the puzzle to put this [story] together.' For years, paleoanthropologists have been piecing together evidence of a diverse world of hominins — the group that includes modern humans and our close ancestors. In Kenya, 1.5 million-year-old preserved footprints show that Homo erectus and another branch of the hominin family tree, Paranthropus boisei, walked along the shores of a lake within hours or days of each other. In and around a cave in South Africa, fossils reveal that Homo erectus, Australopithecus sediba, and Paranthropus robustus coexisted 2 million years ago. Now, in East Africa at sites within the Ledi-Geraru research area, a collection of ancient teeth show Homo and Australopithecus coexisting in yet another spot. But would they have interacted with one another? Would they have interbred? John Hawks, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison who was not involved in the work, said the find is exciting because it opens a window into a critical and mysterious period of human evolution between 2.5 million and 3 million years ago. He said he's eager to see the work published, but noted that such finds raise as many questions as they answer. 'The kinds of evidence that Ledi-Geraru is generating is evidence spanning hundreds of thousands of years of time, and potentially hundreds of square kilometers of space,' Hawks said. 'When several things are reported together like this, that creates a challenge of interpreting what that evidence together tells you.' Advertisement Clément Zanolli, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Bordeaux, said in an email that he was not yet convinced that the teeth are a new species of Australopithecus and would be cautious about attributing the smaller teeth traced to Homo. Newer techniques that use CT scanning allow scientists to study the internal structure of teeth and could build a stronger case. He said the finds would represent some of the oldest remains of Homo and the youngest specimens of Australopithecus in East Africa. 'These new findings are thus adding more pieces to the puzzle, but they are not decisive to understand human evolution,' Zanolli said. When the famous Lucy fossil was discovered a half-century ago, she was popularized as a 'missing link' between apes and humans. Human evolution looked simpler then. Today, the tree of human evolution is full of species that may have been direct ancestors, distant cousins, or side branches that died off. If anything, the science of human evolution has become a deeper mystery, as it has become clear that there were once lots of hominins walking around the planet, sometimes interacting with one another. As hallmarks of human innovation — such as using stone tools and butchering meat — have been shown to have been shared with hominin ancestors, the question of how and why humans alone succeeded has become more mysterious. Zeray Alemseged, a paleoanthropologist and professor at the University of Chicago, said he thinks it's possible the Australopithecus teeth described in the paper aren't a new species, but they could be evidence that Lucy's species persisted. Australopithecus afarensis was previously thought to have vanished around 2.95 million years ago from East Africa. Advertisement One model for how to understand human evolution is a concept called 'budding cladogenesis.' In this model, species don't progressively change into the next species and vanish. They give rise to different species at different times and in different places, and the ancestors may stick around and live alongside them. Lucy's species could have been one such long-lived species, and the teeth are one new piece of evidence to consider. 'The material is … highly fragmentary, but it does have important information in regard to a time period which is really critical,' Alemseged said. 'It really allows us to think about the complex question of how evolution has happened.'
Voice of America
13-03-2025
- Science
- Voice of America
Discovery Provides New Details on Early Use of Bone Tools
A recent discovery of bones in Tanzania suggests early humans commonly used animal bones to make cutting tools 1.5 million years ago. Past research has shown our early ancestors made simple tools from stones as early as 3.3 million years ago. But bone tools appear to have been developed much later. The discovery in Tanzania included a collection of 27 formed and sharpened bones. It pushes back the date for ancient bone tool use by around 1 million years. Researchers recently described their discovery in a study in the scientific publication Nature. William Harcourt-Smith is a scientist with the American Museum of Natural History. He did not take part in the latest research. Harcourt-Smith told The Associated Press the findings show that ancient humans used a number of materials and 'had rather more complex tool kits than previously we thought." The bone tools measured up to around 40 centimeters. Most of them came from the leg bones of large animals such as elephants and hippos. Early humans likely made the tools by breaking off the thick ends of leg bones and using a stone to remove smaller pieces. Ignacio de la Torre is with the Spanish National Research Council. He helped lead the research. De la Torre said this method was likely used to create one sharpened edge and one pointed tip. The bone tools were 'probably used as a hand axe,' he added. The 'hand axe' was likely used for cutting up dead animals, de la Torre said. This kind of blade would be helpful for removing meat from dead elephant and hippo bodies. He explained, 'We don't believe they were hunting these animals. They were probably scavenging.' Scavenging means to search for food from waste or dead animals. Some of the bone tools showed signs of having been hit more than ten times, suggesting careful work. Mírian Pacheco is a researcher with the Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil. She was not involved in the study. Pacheco said the newly uncovered evidence suggests early humans were thoughtful when choosing and making the bone tools. Researchers believe this because certain kinds of large and heavy leg bones were taken from specific animals. Also, the methods used to make the tools appeared to be regular, or consistent. The researchers noted the bones showed only small signs of damage. Pacheco said she thinks this rules out the possibility that natural causes shaped the tools. The bone tools date from more than a million years before our species, Homo sapiens, arose around 300,000 years ago. At the time the tools were made, three different species of human ancestors lived in the same area of East Africa. That information comes from Briana Pobiner of the Smithsonian's Human Origins Program. Pobiner was not involved in the study. The tools may have been made and used by Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Paranthropus boisei, she said. 'It could have been any of these three, but it's almost impossible to know which one.' I'm John Russell. Christina Larson reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. ______________________________________________________ Words in This Story kit – n. a set of tools axe – n. a tool that usually has a wooden handle with a sharp piece of metal at one end, used mostly for cutting trees or wood species – n. a class of individuals having common attributes and designated by a common name
Boston Globe
05-03-2025
- Science
- Boston Globe
Ancient humans made tools from animal bones 1.5 million years ago
The well-preserved bone tools, measuring up to around 16 inches (40 centimeters), were likely made by breaking off the thick ends of leg bones and using a stone to knock off flakes from the remaining bone shaft. This technique was used to create one sharpened edge and one pointed tip, said study co-author Ignacio de la Torre, a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The bone tools were 'probably used as a hand axe' – a handheld blade that's not mounted on a stick – for butchering dead animals, he said. Advertisement Such a blade would be handy for removing meat from elephant and hippo carcasses, but not used as a spear or projectile point. 'We don't believe they were hunting these animals. They were probably scavenging,' he said. Some of the artifacts show signs of having been struck to remove flakes more than a dozen times, revealing persistent craftsmanship. The uniform selection of the bones – large and heavy leg bones from specific animals – and the consistent pattern of alteration makes it clear that early humans deliberately chose and carved these bones, said Mírian Pacheco, a paleobiologist at the Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil, who was not involved in the study. The bones show minimal signs of erosion, trampling, or gnawing by other animals — ruling out the possibility that natural causes resulted in the tool shapes, she added. The bone tools date from more than a million years before our species, Homo sapiens, arose around 300,000 years ago. Advertisement At the time the tools were made, three different species of human ancestors lived in the same region of East Africa, said Briana Pobiner, a paleoanthropologist at the Smithsonian's Human Origins Program, who was not involved in the study. The tools may have been made and used by Homo erectus, Homo habilis, or Paranthropus boisei. 'It could have been any of these three, but it's almost impossible to know which one,' said Pobiner.
NBC News
05-03-2025
- Science
- NBC News
Ancient humans made tools from animal bones 1.5 million years ago
WASHINGTON — Early humans were regularly using animal bones to make cutting tools 1.5 million years ago. A newly discovered cache of 27 carved and sharpened bones from elephants and hippos found in Tanzania's Olduvai Gorge site pushes back the date for ancient bone tool use by around 1 million years. Researchers know that early people made simple tools from stones as early as 3.3 million years ago. The new discovery, published Wednesday in Nature, reveals that ancient humans 'had rather more complex tool kits than previously we thought,' incorporating a variety of materials, said William Harcourt-Smith, a paleoanthropologist at the American Museum of Natural History, who was not involved in the research. The well-preserved bone tools, measuring up to around 16 inches (40 centimeters), were likely made by breaking off the thick ends of leg bones and using a stone to knock off flakes from the remaining bone shaft. This technique was used to create one sharpened edge and one pointed tip, said study co-author Ignacio de la Torre, a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council. The bone tools were 'probably used as a hand axe' — a handheld blade that's not mounted on a stick — for butchering dead animals, he said. Such a blade would be handy for removing meat from elephant and hippo carcasses, but not used as a spear or projectile point. 'We don't believe they were hunting these animals. They were probably scavenging,' he said. Some of the artifacts show signs of having been struck to remove flakes more than a dozen times, revealing persistent craftsmanship. The uniform selection of the bones — large and heavy leg bones from specific animals — and the consistent pattern of alteration makes it clear that early humans deliberately chose and carved these bones, said Mírian Pacheco, a paleobiologist at the Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil, who was not involved in the study. The bone show minimal signs of erosion, trampling or gnawing by other animals — ruling out the possibility that natural causes resulted in the tool shapes, she added. The bone tools date from more than a million years before our species, Homo sapiens, arose around 300,000 years ago. At the time the tools were made, three different species of human ancestors lived in the same region of East Africa, said Briana Pobiner, a paleoanthropologist at the Smithsonian's Human Origins Program, who was not involved in the study. The tools may have been made and used by Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Paranthropus boisei. 'It could have been any of these three, but it's almost impossible to know which one,' said Pobiner.
Washington Post
05-03-2025
- Science
- Washington Post
Ancient humans made tools from animal bones 1.5 million years ago
WASHINGTON — Early humans were regularly using animal bones to make cutting tools 1.5 million years ago. A newly discovered cache of 27 carved and sharpened bones from elephants and hippos found in Tanzania's Olduvai Gorge site pushes back the date for ancient bone tool use by around 1 million years. Researchers know that early people made simple tools from stones as early as 3.3 million years ago. The new discovery , published Wednesday in Nature, reveals that ancient humans 'had rather more complex tool kits than previously we thought,' incorporating a variety of materials, said William Harcourt-Smith, a paleoanthropologist at the American Museum of Natural History, who was not involved in the research. The well-preserved bone tools, measuring up to around 16 inches (40 centimeters), were likely made by breaking off the thick ends of leg bones and using a stone to knock off flakes from the remaining bone shaft. This technique was used to create one sharpened edge and one pointed tip, said study co-author Ignacio de la Torre, a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council. The bone tools were 'probably used as a hand axe' – a handheld blade that's not mounted on a stick – for butchering dead animals, he said. Such a blade would be handy for removing meat from elephant and hippo carcasses, but not used as a spear or projectile point. 'We don't believe they were hunting these animals. They were probably scavenging,' he said. Some of the artifacts show signs of having been struck to remove flakes more than a dozen times, revealing persistent craftsmanship. The uniform selection of the bones – large and heavy leg bones from specific animals – and the consistent pattern of alteration makes it clear that early humans deliberately chose and carved these bones, said Mírian Pacheco, a paleobiologist at the Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil, who was not involved in the study. The bone show minimal signs of erosion, trampling or gnawing by other animals — ruling out the possibility that natural causes resulted in the tool shapes, she added. The bone tools date from more than a million years before our species, Homo sapiens, arose around 300,000 years ago. At the time the tools were made, three different species of human ancestors lived in the same region of East Africa, said Briana Pobiner, a paleoanthropologist at the Smithsonian's Human Origins Program, who was not involved in the study. The tools may have been made and used by Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Paranthropus boisei. 'It could have been any of these three, but it's almost impossible to know which one,' said Pobiner. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
