While groundbreaking, experts call for more evidence to confirm the revised timeline. (Image: File)
The discovery and study of a million-year-old skull in China may push back the emergence of Homo sapiens by half a million years.This analysis calls into question the fundamental assumptions of human history. The discovery also implies that we co-existed with our evolutionary cousins, like Neanderthals, for a much longer, more complex period.
The skull, named Yunxian 2, was discovered in Hubei Province alongside two others. Initially, researchers classified it as Homo erectus, a more primitive human ancestor, given its age of approximately one million years. The established timeline held that Homo erectus began to diverge only around 600,000 years ago, eventually giving rise to Neanderthals and our own species. However, a sophisticated new study published in the journal Science claims this initial assessment was wrong. After using advanced scanning and 3D printing to reconstruct the crushed skull, an international team led by Prof. Xijun Ni of Fudan University and Prof. Chris Stringer of the UK's Natural History Museum concluded that Yunxian 2 is not Homo erectus at all.
The researchers now identify Yunxian 2 as an early representative of Homo longi, colloquially known as "Dragon Man." This species is considered a sister lineage to both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, existing at a similar level of development. This reclassification has profound implications. If Homo longi was walking the Earth a million years ago, the scientists argue, then the early versions of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens likely were too. This would push back the emergence of large-brained humans by at least 500,000 years. "From the very beginning, we thought it was unbelievable," said Prof. Ni. "But we tested it again and again... and we are now confident about the result."
According to this updated chronology, three different human species—Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, and Homo longi—may have coexisted and possibly interacted for approximately 800,000 years, which is a much longer time span than previously thought. This wide overlap provides a new insight into human evolution. As stated by Prof. Stringer, it helps solve a long-standing puzzle known as the "muddle in the middle," where numerous fossils dating from 800,000 to 100,000 years ago have been difficult to classify.
According to the new model, scientists might be able to categorize these puzzling fossils as subgroups or variations of the three main branches.
The study of human evolution is notoriously contentious, despite the striking results. Although the report is credible, independent experts advise caution. Dr. Aylwyn Scally, an evolutionary geneticist at Cambridge University, noted that pinpointing precise timelines from either fossil or genetic evidence is extremely difficult. "One has to be particularly tentative about the timing estimates," he stated, adding that while the conclusions are plausible, they are far from certain. He emphasized that support from future analyses, especially genetic data, would be needed to build confidence in the new timeline.
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The earliest unequivocal evidence for Homo sapiens in Africa dates back about 300,000 years. The discovery of an advanced human relative in China dating back one million years naturally raises the question of a potential Asian origin. However, Prof. Stringer cautions against jumping to conclusions. He points out that there are also million-year-old human fossils in Africa and Europe that must be incorporated into this new model. The story is not yet about shifting the cradle of humanity from one continent to another, but rather about recognizing a more complex, intertwined evolutionary process across the ancient world.
